Researchers have proposed a synthetic gene network that serves as an early warning system. It recognises the four most common types of cancer (prostate, lung, colon, and breast cancer) at a very early stage, namely when the level of calcium in the blood is elevated due to a developing tumour. The early warning system comprises a genetic network that biotechnologists integrate into human body cells, which in turn are inserted into an implant. This encapsulated gene network is then implanted under the skin where it constantly monitors the blood calcium level. As soon as the calcium level exceeds a particular threshold value over a longer period of time, a signal cascade is triggered that initiates production of the body’s tanning pigment, melanin, in the genetically modified cells. The skin then forms a brown mole that is visible to the naked eye. The work appears in Science Translational Medicine .
Published - April 22, 2018 12:02 am IST
