Design of cellular biosensors applied to Biomedicine
Colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases are two conditions on the rise in developed countries. Prevention and diagnosis require an examination of our intestine that ranges from a stool analysis to the use of endoscopic techniques. Just in Spain, adequate populational screening for colorectal cancer should undertake 500,000 new follow-ups each year with further biannual periodicity. When intestinal endoscopies are required, they are uncomfortable for the patient,have associated risks and require instruments and qualified personnel.
Aim
Explore agile and non-invasive procedures for the patient and low impact for the health system that guarantee access to early diagnosis and prevention for citizens.
From Synthetic Biology, the design of cellular biosensors seeks to implement engineering on microorganisms. They detect specific biomarker molecules for diseases in the digestive tract such as cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases. Our approach is based on the integration of rational protein design, cellular computation, and in vivo image analysis for preclinical trials.
