Collaborative Research: EAGER: Customized cell biosensors for interrogating cancer cell physiology

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Understanding the physiological state of normal and cancerous tumor cells has limited our understanding of how cells grow and respond to their environment. In this collaborative project the PIs will construct synthetic living biosensors that can be mixed with other cells to provide readily detectable and measurable information on the cells physiological state, including the response of tumor cells to therapeutic agents. This will improve our ability to model normal and cancer cell biology, contributing to our understanding of how potential therapeutic agents affect cells. This information will be provided in a manner for detecting multiple physiological states simultaneously, in a high-throughput manner. In terms of broader impacts this project will enhance ongoing outreach activities to engage undergraduate students, K-12 students, and the public in STEM via several ongoing programs at each institution as well as by new activities to enhance interactions between institutions. This project will develop synthetic biology tools and experimental approaches that will enable the development of more sophisticated models of normal and cancer cell physiological properties, including information about the immediate environment and response to therapeutic agents. The first step will be to develop genetically encoded live cell sensors that will report information about multiple cell physiological states, including treatment biomarkers. The second step will be to develop real-time reporting by the sensors via loading of barcoded synthetic RNA molecules distinct for each biomarker to be detected in a cost-effective, high-throughput platform. The goal of this EAGER is to develop and validate each of the key technological foundations required to be successful. In terms of broader impacts, this project will contribute to the training of the next generation work-force in synthetic, cellular, and cancer biology. This project will also include cross-institutional virtual meetings to enhance student networking by the iGEM teams at each institution.