Stanford University researchers have successfully produced antibodies against a specific type of cancer called follicular B cell lymphoma. Antibodies are traditionally produced from animals, however, this was the first human study of an injectable vaccine produced by plants. Ironically, the antibodies were produced by tobacco plants. When injected into humans, these antibodies can trigger the immune system to target cancer cells that are specific to that patient’s tumor, thus allowing the body to better fight the cancer. The advantages of plant-produced antibodies include lower cost, faster production times, and individually tailored vaccines capable to targeting each patient’s specific cancer. More trials to evaluate this method is currently under way. Full story.
Tags: Cancer, lymphoma, tobacco, vaccine
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
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July 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Hi Manoj, Thank you for reading!
May 10th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Hey is there anyone that could tell me what bacteria you whould need to create a vaccine for humans from a tobacco plant?