Scientists in Taiwan are developing new technology, which utilizes a material derived from the shells of shrimp to administer insulin orally. Researchers at the National Tsing Hua University detailed their findings in the Biomacromolecules journal, stating that they had used a shell which can protect the drug against stomach acid, which otherwise destroys insulin. They constructed small spheres made of chitosan, which is a carbohydrate material naturally occurring in shrimp shells. Insulin was placed inside the spheres, which are then attracted to the lining of the intestine to deliver the drug into the bloodstream. However, while laboratory tests on rats showed that the technology was effective in lowering blood sugar levels, the doses needed to do so currently exceed the amount a diabetic would usually take subcutaneously. There are two types of diabetes which can affect humans, named type one and type two, the latter of which is believed to be inherited from family members.