Have you ever heard of synthetic biology? It’s a hot topic in life sciences. It can be described as the design and construction of biological pathways, or the redesigning of existing biological systems. Examples of synthetic biology are the engineering of a bacteria that invades cancer cells by the expression of a non-native protein called invasin, or the engineering of bacteria to help fight cholera. Synthetic biology has given birth to companies as well, such as

Examples of synthetic biology are the engineering of a bacteria that invades cancer cells by the expression of a non-native protein called invasin, or the engineering of bacteria to help fight cholera. Synthetic biology has given birth to companies as well, such as Hyasynth Bio, a Montreal-based company that is working in inserting the metabolic pathways of Cannabis into yeast for production of cannabinoids in record time and in large scale.

So, as you can see synthetic biology has opened the door to endless possibilities in industry and healthcare. With the rapid advancement of scientific research, the field of synthetic biology is showing potential to produce a novel treatment.

A paper published in Since, one of the most highly recognized scientific research magazines, titled “ꞵ-Cell-mimetic Designer Cells Provide Closed-Loop Glycemic Control” explains how using an engineered metabolic pathway in cells corrected insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia in type 1 diabetic mice. A similar effect was seen in type 2 diabetic mice. According to the researchers, this system may enable treatment for diabetes mellitus therapy.