Kazakh students have found a unique way to
treat breast cancer. It involves using a bacterium that usually lives in the
human body. As the young scientists admit, it was not easy to develop the
formula, but after a year of hard work and numerous studies, their efforts have
paid off. The innovative medicine is called Sanagel and can precisely destroy cancer-infected
cells.
«The core value of the project lies in
using Escherichia coli, an intestinal bacterium, as a foundation. We
genetically modified it to synthesize an anti-cancer peptide that specifically
targets breast cancer cells without harming or being toxic to healthy cells. In
this way, we incorporated a self-destruction mechanism,» said developer Tomiris
Kudassova.
The domestic drug has been recognized as
the world’s best oncology project. The team was awarded at the International
Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in France. They overtook
research teams from top universities in more than 50 countries, including such
prestigious ones as Harvard, Oxford, and MIT.
«Our university in Central Asia is the only
one of its kind, and presenting this breast cancer treatment project on a
global scale can serve as a foundation for future researchers. They can build
on our work, further develop, and enhance the project for even greater impact,»
added another developer Yernur Kenzhegazin.
Kazakh students also earned the Best
Hardware award for inventing and hand-assembling the NanoX device, which
automates the preparation of laboratory solutions.
