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How can synthetic biology help create new treatments for tumors?
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synthetic biology
A scanning electron micrograph of cells of Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1.0—a synthetic bacterium.
Synthetic biology offers innovative approaches to treating tumors by leveraging the ability to engineer biological systems from scratch to perform specific therapeutic functions.12
Key strategies include:
- Engineered Bacteria: Researchers are developing new forms of bacteria designed to target and destroy tumor cells. Unlike traditional genetic engineering, which often relies on modifying existing genes, synthetic biology allows for the creation of novel biological components that can act as precise therapeutic agents.12
- Targeted Vaccines and Cures: Scientists are working to engineer proteins and gene products de novo—built from scratch—to serve as highly specific vaccines or cures for cancer. By manufacturing novel DNA sequences, researchers can create complex organic compounds better suited for these targeted medical purposes than those found in nature.12
- Cellular Engineering: While closely related to genetic engineering, synthetic biology expands these capabilities by enabling the design of complex pathways. This includes advancements in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T), where immune cells are modified to recognize and attack cancer cells. Ongoing research aims to expand these therapies to treat solid tumors by engineering receptors that identify molecules common to various cancer types.1234