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Biohacking Bacteria Cells To Produce Inexpensive Insulin

Two hands hold a insulin injection.
Insulin prices have skyrocketed in recent years. Credit: Momboleum/Flickr Creative Commons

The price of insulin is steep, but people who need it risk their health if they skip a dose. The Open Insulin Foundation aims to break the hold pharmaceutical companies exert on the cost, working instead with local labs to develop cheaper versions of insulin.

We speak with co-founder Anthony Di Franco and Dr. Lisa Scheifele of the Baltimore Underground Science Space, BUGSS. Scheifele describes how e-coli cells are biohacked to create a fast-acting form of insulin.

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.
Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.