That's Fit

What came first, the genetically modified chicken or the...oh, never mind. It doesn't matter which came first, what matters is that UK researchers have made a possible breakthrough in cancer treatment using chicken eggs.

These genetically modified hens are laying eggs with cancer fighting proteins in them. Known as "pharming," researchers collect the proteins and use them to make treatments for diseases. One type of egg contains miR24, a protein that fights malignant melanoma. Another produces human interferon b-1a, which stops the replication of viruses.

Chickens were used because of their inexpensive, quick, and simple reproductive cycle. One genetically modified rooster can be mated with hundreds of hens, who can lay one genetically modified egg per day. In a short amount of time, generations of these chickens can be created and started on egg production. Since the cancer fighting proteins are found in the egg whites, it's a fairly simple process to extract them.

More time is needed to develop the process and then put it to the test, and it'll be 5-10 years before we see an actual drug from these chickens being used.