The Story of How a Soil Sample from Easter Island Became a Life-Saving Drug
A treasure from a barren island: the discovery of rapamycin
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists discovered a special bacteria in soil from Easter Island in 1964. This bacteria made a compound (rapamycin) that could stop fungi from growing and later was found to help prevent organ rejection after transplants. The drug works by blocking a protein called mTOR that helps cells multiply.
Surprising Findings
The drug was almost abandoned and sat in a freezer for years
When the research facility closed, most projects would have been discarded. Sehgal's personal decision to take samples home is what kept the research alive.
Practical Takeaways
For transplant patients: discuss with your doctor whether rapamycin might be appropriate if standard immunosuppressants cause problems
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Scientists discovered a special bacteria in soil from Easter Island in 1964. This bacteria made a compound (rapamycin) that could stop fungi from growing and later was found to help prevent organ rejection after transplants. The drug works by blocking a protein called mTOR that helps cells multiply.
Surprising Findings
The drug was almost abandoned and sat in a freezer for years
When the research facility closed, most projects would have been discarded. Sehgal's personal decision to take samples home is what kept the research alive.
Practical Takeaways
For transplant patients: discuss with your doctor whether rapamycin might be appropriate if standard immunosuppressants cause problems
Publication
Journal
Clinical Kidney Journal
Year
2022
Authors
G. Hobby, R. Clark, A. Woywodt
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Claims (4)
Scientists found a special germ (bacteria) in dirt from Easter Island back in 1964, and from that germ they discovered a substance called rapamycin.
Rapamycin is a drug that calms down the immune system. It works by hooking onto a specific protein inside cells, which then locks onto and shuts down a key growth switch called mTOR, preventing immune cells called T-cells from dividing and multiplying.
Scientists found powerful medicines that help with kidney transplants by looking at dirt - specifically, germs in the soil that led to drugs like cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and rapamycin.
A drug called Rapamycin got approved by the US government in 1999 to help prevent organ rejection in transplant patients, especially when doctors want to avoid using another type of anti-rejection medicine.