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Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Bioluminescent Bacterial Imaging In Vivo
Published on: November 4, 2012
Developing a new class of engineered live bacterial therapeutics to treat human diseases
Mark R Charbonneau1, Vincent M Isabella1, Ning Li1
1Synlogic, Inc., 301 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
Abstract:
A complex interplay of metabolic and immunological mechanisms underlies many diseases that represent a substantial unmet medical need. There is an increasing appreciation of the role microbes play in human health and disease, and evidence is accumulating that a new class of live biotherapeutics comprised of engineered microbes could address specific mechanisms of disease. Using the tools of synthetic biology, nonpathogenic bacteria can be designed to sense and respond to environmental signals in order to consume harmful compounds and deliver therapeutic effectors. In this perspective, we describe considerations for the design and development of engineered live biotherapeutics to achieve regulatory and patient acceptance.
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