Applications of synthetic gene circuits in drug delivery

Synthetic gene circuits are a type of synthetic biological circuit in which gene transcription is controlled by logic gates. They are generally constructed with cellular signaling pathways that interact with biological signals, often ligands, to modify the transcription of particular genes via transcription factors. In the context of medicine, cells engineered with gene circuits can detect biomarkers present in their surroundings and respond by upregulating the production of a therapeutic protein encoded in the cell's genome.

Gene circuits allow for specific and localized release of therapeutics over time, which has applications in local pathologies such as cancerous tumors. The ability to continuously respond to changing extracellular conditions also makes them well suited for homeostatic pathologies like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, thyroid diseases, and psoriasis.