In a major advance, scientists have genetically engineered human cells to produce their own drugs.
The scientists, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University and Harvard Medical School, say the approach could be used to treat a range of conditions, including cancer.
In their study, the team used a technique called CRISPR to insert a piece of DNA into human cells that encodes for a synthetic enzyme.
This enzyme can then be used by the cells to produce drugs, such as those that target cancerous tumors.
The researchers say the approach could potentially be used to create a range of different drugs, depending on the needs of the patient.
In the future, the team plans to test the approach in animal models of disease.
The study is published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
Scientists have found a way to give cells the ability to make their own drugs.
The team, from Emory University in the US, used a type of RNA that can be made by cells to carry out specific tasks.
They engineered the RNA so that it could be used to trigger the production of a drug in response to a signal from outside the cell.
The drug is then released into the cell, where it can kill targets such as cancer cells.
The scientists say their system could be adapted to target a range of diseases.
The findings are published in the journal Nature.
The researchers say their system could be used to create “universal” cancer treatments that could be used to target a range of different types of cancer.
In the future, the system could also be adapted to target other diseases, such as infectious diseases.
The team says the system is “remarkably simple” and could be easily adapted by other researchers.
