Genetic circuitry for personalized human cell therapy

Synthetic biology uses engineering principles to design and assemble biological components and systems for a variety of applications. On the basis of genetic engineering, synthetic gene switches can be interconnected to construct complex gene circuits, capable of sensing and integrating diverse input signals for precise spatiotemporal control of target gene expression in living cells. Designer cells can be equipped with advanced gene circuitry enabling them to react precisely to pre-programmed combinations of conditions, automatically triggering a specified response, such as therapeutic protein production. Such cells are promising therapeutic modalities for applications where traditional medical treatments have limitations. Herein, we highlight selected recent examples of designer cells with engineered gene circuits targeted toward applications in personalized human medicine.