Overview
- University of British Columbia researchers built a Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron strain that glows under baseline conditions and dims under osmotic stress.
- Fluorescence measured from stool samples enabled noninvasive, longitudinal monitoring of gut physiology in mouse models.
- The biosensor detected subtle malabsorption-related disturbances that occurred without clinical symptoms such as diarrhea.
- Signal stability and responsiveness persisted for weeks in vivo, supporting continuous tracking rather than single timepoint tests.
- The team aims to expand sensing to other gut parameters and explore drug-release circuits, with human use contingent on safety and regulatory studies.