A major challenge in modern medicine is how to deliver advanced therapeutics—especially biomacromolecules and living cells—by oral route. The gastrointestinal tract is a highly hostile environment, where stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and immune defenses can rapidly degrade or eliminate therapeutics before they reach the intended site. Our lab develops new strategies for oral delivery of advanced therapeutics, with a particular focus on “living medicines”—engineered bacteria designed to produce therapeutic molecules directly in the gut. These approaches have the potential to transform treatment for gut diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and offer localized, sustained therapy without the need for injections of systemic drugs.
