Scientists Developing mRNA Foods To Replace Injections

The Winepress

“Not just for food, but for high-value products as well, like pharmaceuticals.”

Scientists are actively creating new foods that are similar to the current Covid vaccines in use, as a way to replace traditional inoculation. Both Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that rewrites a person’s genetic code to fight disease. Moderna refers to this technology as an “app,” “software,” “operating system,” and more.

Currently, mRNA tech used in the Covid vaccines must be stored at cold temperatures to work, or they lose their stability.

However, researchers at the University of California-Riverside are testing ways for this mRNA tech to be functional under normal temperatures. In this case, if they are successful, they would then design plant-based mRNA food for public consumption.

For further development and functionality, the researchers received a $500,000 grant courtesy of the National Science Foundation.

The team seeks to accomplish three goals: first, attempt to successfully carry and transport DNA containing the same mRNA vaccine tech into plant cells, where they can replicate.

From there, the team wants to see if these newly cultured plants can replicate enough to generate sufficient mRNA to replace the traditional injection via syringe. Finally, the group of researchers will establish what the proper dosage will be for the masses to consume to effectively replace vaccinations.

Juan Pablo Giraldo, an associate professor in UCR’s Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, said in a university release:

“Ideally, a single plant would produce enough mRNA to vaccinate a single person.

“We are testing this approach with spinach and lettuce and have long-term goals of people growing it in their own gardens. Farmers could also eventually grow entire fields of it.”

In order for this to work properly, the plant’s chloroplasts are key, says Giraldo and a team of scientists from UC-San Diego and Carnegie Mellon University. Chloroplasts are tiny organs inside plant cells that aid in the conversion of sunlight into usable energy.

“They’re tiny, solar-powered factories that produce sugar and other molecules which allow the plant to grow. They’re also an untapped source for making desirable molecules,” Giraldo added.

Previous studies have been reported to have shown gene expression, which is not a natural part of the plant. This was discovered when Giraldo and his team successfully injected genetic material into the chloroplasts.

Professor Nicole Steinmetz of UC-San Diego worked with Giraldo and the team to utilize nanotechnology to help deliver even more genetic material – identical to how the Covid vaccines work, not just the Moderna or Pfizer ones either.

“Our idea is to repurpose naturally occurring nanoparticles, namely plant viruses, for gene delivery to plants. Some engineering goes into this to make the nanoparticles go to the chloroplasts and also to render them non-infectious toward the plants,” Steinmetz explained.

Giraldo added:

“One of the reasons I started working in nanotechnology was so I could apply it to plants and create new technology solutions. Not just for food, but for high-value products as well, like pharmaceuticals.”

[…]

Via https://thewinepress.substack.com/p/scientists-are-developing-mrna-foods