Timothy K. Lu

Synthetic ratio computation for programming population composition and multicellular morphology

This paper introduces genetic devices for precise control of cell-type ratios and multicellular morphology in synthetic biology systems.

Sourdough starter-inspired living materials grown from probiotic consortia with engineered division-of-labor

The paper describes the creation of SINERGY, a synthetic sourdough starter using engineered microbial consortia with division-of-labor modules for biosensing and drug delivery.

Deep generative models generate mRNA sequences with enhanced translation capacity and stability

GEMORNA generates mRNA sequences with enhanced translation capacity and stability, showing significant improvements in expression levels and therapeutic applications.

Ultra-lightweight living structural material for enhanced stiffness and environmental sensing

This paper describes an engineered E. coli biofilm with high stiffness and environmental sensing capabilities, demonstrating its potential as a living structural material.

A Synthetic Transcription Platform for Programmable Gene Expression in Mammalian Cells

The paper introduces a CRISPR-based synthetic transcription system for programmable gene expression in mammalian cells, demonstrating its ability to control gene activity and cellular functions with high tunability.

Sense-and-respond payload delivery using a novel antigen-inducible promoter improves suboptimal CAR-T activation

This paper introduces a novel antigen-inducible promoter to enhance CAR-T cell activation in low-immunogenic environments, showing improved cytokine expression and T cell proliferation.

Ingestible capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ

This paper develops an ingestible capsule that detects short-lived inflammatory biomarkers in the GI tract using genetically engineered probiotic biosensors and wireless readout technology.

Cas9-Assisted Biological Containment of a Genetically Engineered Human Commensal Bacterium and Genetic Elements

The paper develops a Cas9-assisted biocontainment system for engineered bacteria to prevent gene dissemination and ensure controlled expression in the gut.

Efficient Retroelement-Mediated DNA Writing in Bacteria

The paper engineers a retroelement-mediated DNA writing system for efficient, precise, and conditionally controlled genome editing in bacteria with broad applications.

High-Throughput 5' UTR Engineering for Enhanced Protein Production in Non-Viral Gene Therapies

This study develops a high-throughput method to engineer 5' UTRs that enhance protein expression in non-viral gene therapies, identifying synthetic 5 UTRs that outperform existing plasmids.

Scalable recombinase-based gene expression cascades

This paper introduces a modular recombinase-based gene circuit that enables sequential gene expression using two ligands and applies it to model multi-stage genetic changes.

High throughput functional variant screens via in-vivo production of single-stranded DNA

This paper introduces RLR, a high-throughput method for screening genetic variants using in-vivo single-stranded DNA production, demonstrating its utility in antibiotic resistance studies.

Tough Hydrogel-Based Biocontainment of Engineered Organisms for Continuous, Self-Powered Sensing and Computation

This paper develops a hydrogel-based containment system for genetically modified microorganisms to enable safe, retrievable, and functional biosensing applications.

Natural combinatorial genetics and prolific polyamine production enable siderophore diversification in Serratia plymuthica

This study identifies multiple siderophores produced by Serratia plymuthica V4 using three gene clusters and a polyamine superpathway, highlighting enterobactin's role in bacterial fitness and the strain's potential for industrial polyamine production.

Living materials with programmable functionalities grown from engineered microbial co-cultures

This paper develops a synthetic symbiotic co-culture system to engineer bacterial cellulose with programmable functional properties.

Sequence-to-function deep learning frameworks for synthetic biology

The paper introduces STORM, a deep learning model to optimize toehold switches by analyzing sequence-to-function relationships in a dataset of 91,534 toehold switches.

Engineering Phage Host-Range and Suppressing Bacterial Resistance Through Phage Tail Fiber Mutagenesis

This paper develops a method to engineer phage tail fibers to alter host range and suppress bacterial resistance, showing effectiveness in vitro and in vivo.

Quantifying the RNA cap epitranscriptome reveals novel caps in cellular and viral RNA

The paper introduces CapQuant, a mass spectrometry-based method to analyze RNA caps, revealing new cap structures and variations in humans and mice.

Single-Nucleotide-Resolution Computing and Memory in Living Cells

The paper introduces a programmable read-write head for genomic DNA at single-nucleotide resolution, enabling scalable and robust computing and memory operations in living cells.