Engineering Acoustic Probiotics as Diagnostic Sentinels
Project Leader(s)
Caltech
Research Focus Area
(a) Generalized two-component system (TCS) design for sensing disease markers and expressing ARGs in response. (b-c) E. coli Nissle (EcN) cells producing ARGs are detected via ultrasound in response to the inflammation biomarkers sensed, thiosulfate (b) and tetrathionate (c).
Rapid advances in synthetic biology are enabling the development of engineered bacterial systems capable of sensing and reporting on specific signals in their environment. Such biosensors are being employed in biosynthesis and engineered living materials. In this project, we will extend their capabilities into the human body. In particular, we will develop living probiotic biosensors that will enable the noninvasive detection and mapping of pathological signals inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This will facilitate rapid diagnosis and monitoring of conditions whose prevalence is increased in people operating in remote, unfamiliar and stressful environments.
