Scientists have decoded the precise genetic mechanism bacteria use to manufacture multiple versions of powerful anti-cancer compounds — resolving a long-standing mystery in drug discovery and opening a practical path toward engineering improved cancer drugs inspired by what nature already does well.
The findings, published July 1, 2026 in Nature Communications by researchers at the University of Warwick and Monash University, reveal the molecular logic bacteria use to create dozens of chemically distinct variations of drugs that human chemists have struggled to replicate or improve in the laboratory.
