Bacteria that eat Cancer Tumors from inside!

Scientists just taught bacteria how to eat cancer from the inside out. 🧫 Researchers at the University of Waterloo engineered a bacterium called Clostridium sporogenes to survive only inside the oxygen free core of solid tumors. Once inside it multiplies and begins breaking down the dead tissue that fuels the tumor. The team led by Dr Brian Ingalls, Dr Sara Sadr and Dr Marc Aucoin built a genetic switch using synthetic biology so the bacteria only activate once enough of them gather inside the tumor. 🔬 This precision could one day mean gentler treatments with fewer side effects. 💙 The research was published in ACS Synthetic Biology and preclinical trials are next. Sometimes the smallest organisms carry the biggest hope. 🌱