It’s no secret that college kids love beer. But at Rice University, a group of students are taking their love for brew to another level.
The creators of “BioBeer” are working on a special formula that contains a chemical known as resveratrol, which has been shown to reduce cancer in laboratory animals. Also found in wine, resveratrol may also reduce heart disease.
Peter Nguyen, a Rice grad student, suggested that his team add resveratrol to beer as a joke. But after some discussion and research, team member Thomas Segall-Shapiro, a junior, thought “You know, we could actually do this.”
There is extensive research available on the effects of resveratrol, and a few research teams have previously attempted to genetically modify yeast (which is necessary for brewing beer) with resveratrol-related genes. So far, the Rice team has been focused on creating a genetically modified strain of yeast that will be used to ferment the beer while also producing resveratrol. The first few batches of beer brewed will likely contain some less-than-appetizing chemicals that are necessary for subsequent testing and experiements.
According to Segall-Shapiro, these chemical “markers” will be rid of before the beer is ready to drink. “In short, it will be a long time before anybody consumes any of this,” he stated.
The delay in brewing beer that’s ready to drink, said Segall-Shapiro, is due to the fact that “there’s only one genetically modified strain of yeast that’s ever been approved for use in beer, period.” This has prompted the Rice team to try and create a strain of their own.
Resveratrol is a naturally-occurring compound that, in some cases, may have anti-inflammatory effects, and may also prevent the development of cancer and heart disease. While studies of resveratrol have yet to be conducted on humans, many already take resveratrol in supplement form. In France, where resveratrol supplements are quite popular, some believe that resveratrol is a key part of the “French paradox,” or much-debated observation that the French in general experience lower rates of heart disease despite a diet known to be high in saturated fats.
For patients who may be predisposed to certain forms of cancers, resveratrol may be an important discovery. Individuals who have a history of breast cancer, for instance, or those who have been exposed to asbestos and are now considered to be at risk of developing mesothelioma cancer may one day benefit from resveratrol.
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer caused exclusively by previous asbestos exposure. In the UK, thousands die from mesothelioma each year, as there is no known cure. Mesothelioma takes decades to develop and is particularly aggressive. While certain conventional cancer treatment methods, such as chemotherapy and the use of the drug Alimta® have been known to extend the life of some mesothelioma patients, oncologists like Dr. Robert Winter of Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England continue to work towards finding a mesothelioma cure.
And while cures for various forms of cancer may be years away, the team at Rice University is doing their part to impact the future of cancer research and treatment. Rice faculty advisor Jonathan Silberg believes that the BioBeer team is gaining important skills for their future careers in the fields of genetics and biology.
Original story courtesy of the Rice University website.
