Dr Christina Smolke is changing the world of drug development and brewing up her own opioid drugs in the lab -- using yeast.
How to make millions of opioids, using yeast

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Poppies have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries by ancient civilizations all over the world. Today, they are the primary source for many painkillers.
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Current opioid production methods involve harvesting sap from poppies (pictured) and processing them to produce opioid drugs, which takes one year.
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Poppy farms face many challenges both from the perspective of trying to grow crops reliably each year and the movement of narcotic materials across borders.
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According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, hydrocodone (pictured) is the most prescribed opioid in the U.S. with an estimated 137 million prescriptions in 2013.
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According to the International Narcotic Control Board, approximately three-quarters of the world's population live in countries with inadequate to pain relief, including India (pictured).
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Synthetic biologist Christina Smolke (pictured) has set out to provide opioid drugs for the masses by injecting yeast with the DNA of opium poppies.
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Smolke's technique is anticipated to make opioid drugs within three to five days. She's confident her method will lead to drug advances for other conditions, such as cancer.
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As well as Opium poppies, the yeast are engineered to have genes from six other organisms, including California poppies (pictured).
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Smolke (second from left) and her team have set up Antheia - a company created to commercialize their research and provide medicines to all who need them.
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Fear of fueling addictions is one reason Smolke's technology hasn't been met with universal approval. Some observers fear a rise in so-called "home-brew" heroin.
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