How pond algae may aid type 1 diabetes treatment

RESEARCHERS have genetically modified an algae that could help make insulin more cheaply.

The team inserted synthetic genes into the cells of the algae

C. reinhardtii — typically found in stagnant water or damp soil — to make it produce human kallikrein protein. This can be used to make insulin for treating type 1 diabetes. Currently, it’s synthesised using bacteria or yeasts.

The advantage of using the algae is it’s fast to grow, inexpensive to culture, and relatively safe, say scientists from Shenzhen University, China, who reported their findings in the journal Marine Drugs.