Applied Design

　Biowatcher is programmable cell sensing/response pathways system that can engineered cells to sense user-specified ligands and in turn elicit custom responses accordingly. For now we are using GFP-specific nanobody as our detector and mCherry and Lux gene as our gene circulate or the reaction part in our project to detect selected Biomarker. However, by changing our sensing module and the genetic output, we think this cell-based detecting and reaction system could have great potential.

　Our sensing module has great usage in all kinds of detection. According to the information from iCAN database (Institute collection and Analysis of Nanobody), over two thousand nanobodies are available for recognizing different antigens including molecular-bound molecules and soluble molecules. Therefore, by adjusting the nanobodies to other proteins, we can detect toxins, heavy metal ions, pollutions…etc. It can turn the Biowatcher into a totally different product. As for the output genetic circuit, there are more responses we can choose. Such as other reporter genes, therapeutic gene circuits, cell killing signals… and so on.

　If we change both parts, the cell would have a totally different usage. For example, we can change the detector to a toxin-specific nanobody and transfect the cell into zebrafish. They will become some simple and easy detector. Putting them into rivers and ponds, we can see if the water is polluted or not through their body. This could be a very useful tool in some poor regions that can’t afford expensive chemical testing. And is it possible is that we can exchange the detector with some tissue-specific nanobody and the Lux gene with some drug-delivering parts? The cell can serve as a precise treatment tool. This will gives some disease a new approach.

　For now, there are 2391 available nanobodies. And combines with proper gene circulate. Imagine all the possibility and potential the system have. We are eager to see these ideals come to existence.