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Intelligent Targeting
Lactate chemotaxis guides engineered bacteria to the tumor microenvironment where lactic acid concentration is elevated.
HCC is the sixth most common malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with limited treatment options and poor prognosis for advanced cases.
New cases annually worldwide
5-year survival rate for advanced HCC
Objective response rate of FOLFOX4 regimen
Annual deaths in China due to HCC
We developed a novel microbial therapy using engineered E. coli Nissle 1917 for targeted delivery of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) to liver cancer cells.
Lactate chemotaxis guides engineered bacteria to the tumor microenvironment where lactic acid concentration is elevated.
Engineered E. coli synthesize ATRA in situ from endogenous substrates through a reconstructed metabolic pathway.
ATRA induces differentiation of cancer stem cells and reduces chemotherapy resistance, enhancing treatment efficacy.
Our project integrates cutting-edge technologies from synthetic biology, computational modeling, and cancer therapy.
E. coli Nissle 1917 probiotic strain with proven safety profile in humans
Lactate chemotaxis + tumor microenvironment sensing for specific delivery
Complete ATRA synthesis pathway reconstruction in bacterial cells
Multi-scale models from molecular docking to cell behavior prediction
Stable gene integration for long-term therapeutic expression
Stakeholder interviews, ethics & implementation insights shaping design decisions
Safe-in-card viewer: lazy-loads 3Dmol, falls back to embedded ligand if PDB fails.
Our systematic approach follows the engineering cycle of design, construction, testing, and learning.
Literature review, expert interviews, and project planning
Plasmid preparation and genetic circuit design
In vitro validation of ATRA synthesis and bacterial targeting
Presentation and feedback from scientific community
In vivo testing of therapeutic efficacy and safety
Comprehensive analysis and model refinement
Our project benefits from collaborations with experts in various fields.
Understanding the real needs of liver cancer patients guides our research direction.
The key issue is that stopping medication leads to recurrence, which affects my psychological state. But using it for too long makes me worry about side effects.
A quick look at our engineered E. coli therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.