Biotech Updates

Bio-engineered Yogurt to Replace Colonoscopy in the Future

October 15, 2014

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Sangeeta Bhatia is making a yogurt that could replace uncomfortable colonoscopies and MRI in diagnosing colorectal cancer. This yogurt contains synthetic molecules that can interact with cancer to produce telltale biomarkers. These molecules can be detected easily when passed in urine. Thus, after eating the yogurt, the patient will have a paper-based urine test. This new method is cheaper and easier to administer compared to current techniques in detecting colorectal cancer in patients. If detected early, 90 percent of colorectal cancer patients survive for at least five years.

Read more at http://www.technologyreview.com/news/531241/cancer-detecting-yogurt-could-replace-colonoscopies/.