Yeast Cells: A Novel Vehicle for Drug Delivery

conditions is not new; history tells us of the many benefits of microbes to man. Their potential in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of disease conditions has been recognised since the days of Jenner, who in 1796 inoculated a young boy with cowpox and later with smallpox. The use of modified non-virulent species, attenuated bacteria/viruses and purified parts of micro-organisms has made vaccination one of the greatest achievements of medicine, and has spared millions of people from the effects of devastating diseases. Similarly, the use of microbes as mini-cell factories for the production of antibiotics, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals and a number of important excipients (for example, non-animal derived albumin) has contributed widely to improvements in health care.