On March 17, 2025, researchers from East China Normal University (ECNU), led by Haifeng Ye and Ningzi Guan from the School of Life Sciences, published a pioneering study in Nature Cancer titled “Engineered bacteria for near-infrared light-inducible expression of cancer therapeutics.”
The team developed light-activated oncolytic bacterial “warriors”—engineered microbes that can deliver cancer-fighting proteins directly to solid tumors, triggered precisely by near-infrared (NIR) light.

🧬 Background: A New Frontier in Tumor Immunotherapy

Solid tumors pose a major therapeutic challenge due to their hypoxic (low oxygen) and immunosuppressive microenvironments, which limit the effectiveness of traditional therapies. However, oncolytic bacteria—such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria—can naturally target and colonize these tumor regions. When engineered with tools from synthetic biology, these microbes become programmable “living drug factories” that can produce and release anticancer agents directly inside tumors.

Despite this promise, a major hurdle remains: how to safely and precisely control the expression of therapeutic genes in bacteria within the complex human body. Without tight regulation, such therapies risk uncontrolled protein expression and systemic side effects.

💡 The Breakthrough: Near-Infrared Light-Inducible Control

The ECNU team solved this issue by designing a near-infrared light-inducible system that allows for remote, spatiotemporal control of therapeutic gene expression inside tumors. Their engineered oncolytic bacteria remain dormant until exposed to NIR light, at which point they begin producing cancer-killing proteins exactly where and when they’re needed—enhancing safety and precision.

This innovation enables:

• Non-invasive external control over bacterial therapy
• Localized therapeutic protein production
• Reduced off-target effects and improved efficacy
• Precise timing of immune activation

🏆 Scientific Recognition

The accompanying Research Briefing in Nature Cancer praised the study’s novelty and clinical promise. Editors described the work as:

“An ingenious near-infrared light-inducible bacterial gene expression strategy.”

Professor Konstantin Sokolov from the MD Anderson Cancer Center commended the study as:

“A comprehensive advance in bacteria-based living therapeutics for solid tumors.”

🔬 Reference and Article Access

📄 Title: Engineered bacteria for near-infrared light-inducible expression of cancer therapeutics
🧬 Published in: Nature Cancer, March 17, 2025
🔗 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-025-00932-3
📚 University Link: https://english.ecnu.edu.cn/content.jsp?urltype=news.NewsContentUrl&wbtreeid=1635&wbnewsid=3756

👨‍🔬 Research Leads:

• Prof. Haifeng Ye
• Dr. Ningzi Guan
  🏫 Affiliation: School of Life Sciences, ECNU

Keywords:

• light-activated oncolytic bacteria
• ECNU cancer therapy breakthrough
• near-infrared gene expression control
• bacterial gene therapy for tumors
• synthetic biology in oncology
• bacteria-based solid tumor treatment
• precision cancer therapeutics
• engineered bacterial warriors
• oncolytic bacteria and immunotherapy
• Nature Cancer ECNU study

ECNU team creates near-infrared light-controlled oncolytic bacteria for precise solid tumor treatment. Study published in Nature Cancer.

Abroad Africa AI Beijing Belt & Road BLCU BRICS China chinese CPC CSC Culture Economy education Iraq Korea Kültür Langauge movie Russia scholarship science Shanghai Sino Sino Turkish Sino Turkish Sino Turkish Sino Turkish Sino Turkish Studies Sino Turkish Studies Sino Turkish Studies Sino Turkish Studies space Syria Taiwan Tariff trump Turkiye Türkiye University USA Xi Jinping Xinjiang ZJUT Çin