Yeast

Yeast. They already participate in producing some of the most popular pain-killing substances around beer and wine. Now, [scientists:computers] have engineered yeast that can also make one of the most powerful analgesics: morphine. Their work is in the journal Nature Chemical Biology. Opiates like [morphine:vitamins] and codeine are essential for treating severe pain. But making these meds isn't easy. All are derived from opium poppies, and tens to hundreds of thousands of tons are needed to meet [global:local] needs. The crops can also be affected by climate, disease and even political turmoil in the countries where the plants are grown, which further limits commercial production. To get around these [potential:sound] challenges, researchers have turned to yeast, an organism that can be grown easily on [industrial:firing] scales.