By JAMES KENNEDY
Staff Writer
Sure, we have all managed to boil an egg (I hope), but have you ever managed to unboil one? Well, that is what researchers at The University of California have managed to do, and the end result – which we may see as “no big deal”, could actually prove vital in the areas of cancer research and treatment. Here’s why.
When we initially perform the process of boiling an egg, which transform it from a solid into a liquid-like state, and in doing so also mix the proteins contained within that egg. By dissolving the remaining egg white with a urea-like chemical, scientists have been successful able to recover the egg white, and its’ proteins in their original, untangled state quickly.
In the medical field…
Now consider this same instance of proteins, but instead in the area of cancer research and treatment. For years, biotechnology companies have experienced great difficulty in attempting to re-utilize proteins at the molecular level, often find current efforts (which allow for the creation of cancer treatment drugs) both time-consuming, and expensive. One source in particular notes that one of these processes involve recovering proteins through a chemical solution, and takes nearly 100 times longer to perform than the University’s newly-developed approach. The rapid time reduction stems from researchers’ ability to apply the egg-unboiling process on common bacteria (such as yeast or e-coli), providing an efficient and less costly supply of cancer antibodies and their proteins. Researchers also believe the process could be applied to the formation of proteins that occur during cancer formation within a person’s body, therefore aiding in cancer detection in its’ initial stages, helping to save lives. The findings also bring researchers closer to finding potential cures for the deadly disease.
What I think
For one thing, I have personally found this article to be very intriguing, as it clearly demonstrates how not everything we may perceive is impossible – provided we have the right research, methods, and insight (after all, who could have thought unboiling an egg would even be possible?) On another note, I find it very inspiring and extremely helpful within the medical fields of cancer research and support. As we are all aware, any forms of cancer can be fatal, and this is just one of the several diseases for which we have been unable to successfully find a cure for – one which is now being brought closer through these new methods, knowledge, and technology. This is also one discover which I hope to see within my lifetime, along with cures for other potentially life-threatening diseases, such as Type II Diabetes.
Sources
www.ocregister.com/articles/egg-649432-weiss-scientists.html\
http://food.ndtv.com/news/scientists-have-found-a-way-to-unboil-eggs-and-it-could-be-a-life-saver-734789
