I recently finished a class at Hopkins called Cellular Engineering, which is sort of a Cell Biology 102 class, in that it assumes some basic biochemistry knowledge and does a broad sampling of a variety of fields within bioengineering. For our final project, I worked in a team to write a report on an exciting new area of research on cell based devices which can be engineered using synthetic biology and implanted into a patient’s body for continuous theranostic treatment. The idea is that the cells can sense changes in body function (ie. when symptoms of disease occur) and immediately and in situ produce and release therapeutic molecules. This is a really fascinating therapeutic platform and got me really excited about the future of cell therapy. Linked here are slides and the full written report on methods of development, applications in metabolic and inflammatory diseases, and future directions.