Team:UCSF/Future Applications

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(VISION: Example of a possible application)
 
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In the previous sections we have shown you that we can steer cells to new targets, control their speed and attach a payload. Here we describe our vision of what we could do with these engineered cells in the future.
In the previous sections we have shown you that we can steer cells to new targets, control their speed and attach a payload. Here we describe our vision of what we could do with these engineered cells in the future.
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One target for our cells could be '''carcinoid tumors:'''
One target for our cells could be '''carcinoid tumors:'''

Latest revision as of 00:49, 21 October 2009

VISION: Example of a possible application

In the previous sections we have shown you that we can steer cells to new targets, control their speed and attach a payload. Here we describe our vision of what we could do with these engineered cells in the future.


One target for our cells could be carcinoid tumors:

  • these tumors are located in the gut and lungs and are often malignant
  • they are small and therefore hard to find
  • they secrete high levels of serotonin - a neuroactive hormone detected by Gi-coupled GPCR



Our approach could be used to engineer a cellular robot that:

  • detects serotonin and can chemotax to carcinoid tumors
  • delivers imaging reagents (to aid in surgical removal)

or

  • delivers targeted chemotherapeutic drugs to kill tumor



VISION: We could use our engineered cellular robots to home in on carcinoid tumors to deliver imaging or therapeutic reagents.


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