ERC Grant for advancing the design of genetic controllers

D-BSSE Professor Mustafa Khammash is developing artificial genetic control circuits for living cells. These cells act like tiny biological computers: they detect disease signals in the body and use built-in control algorithms to autonomously produce therapeutic molecules at precisely the right doses. In his ERC project, Khammash aims to advance this field by using generative artificial intelligence and other methods to design these genetic controllers. His goal is to apply the findings to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease marked by chronic joint inflammation. Khammash plans to engineer immune cells that can recognize inflammatory signals and respond by producing just enough antibody to reduce pro-inflammatory messengers, thereby alleviating symptoms without compromising the body’s ability to fight infection.