Posted byDina Fine MaronJul 2

Scientists have created a cell from scratch—called a SpudCell—proof-of-concept work that a lab-made cell can feed, grow, and replicate like a natural cell.

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‘Beautiful blobs’: synthetic life a step closer as scientists make cells using lab-made DNAThe Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/01/synthetic-life-lab-made-dna-spudcells-scientists

Findings

Additional insights we found via The Guardian

1. The breakthrough, announced in July 2026, raises the prospect of creating synthetic cells that could produce drugs, food, and fuel. Humans have already harnessed natural cells’ production capabilities to aid in drug manufacturing, with human insulin genes inserted into E. coli bacterium to create insulin used to treat diabetes.LikeShare Finding
2. The synthetic cell resembles a bacterium and currently cannot survive long, dying after a few generations.LikeShare Finding
3. SpudCells were named after Sputnik and the dawn of the Space Age, and to honor the lead researcher’s heritage—a nod to the potato-heavy diet of Poland.LikeShare Finding
4. The lab-made cells cannot function as well as natural cells: they cannot build their own protein-making machinery, control their metabolism, or clear their waste.LikeShare Finding

• Health & Medicine
• Diabetes