Work

Electromagnetic field‑inducible gene switch: a non‑invasive platform for remote spatiotemporal gene control

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In a recent study published in Cell , Kim et al. present a remotely controlled, electromagnetic field (EMF)-inducible gene switch, termed the Ei switch, that enables precise spatiotemporal activation of transgene expression in vivo without pharmacological agents or invasive procedures. 1 By engineering a 450-bp EMF-responsive DNA element (Ei) derived from the leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 4 (Lgr4) promoter, the authors established a transcriptional platform selectively responsive to extremely low-frequency EMF (EL-EMF) under the tested conditions, offering a non-invasive and reversible mode of gene regulation with the potential to address key limitations of optogenetics (limited tissue penetration) and reduce reliance on pharmacological inducers such as tetracycline-responsive systems. 1 , 2 , 3

Source: Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

DOI: 10.1038/s41392-026-02898-9

Authors: Hae-Jun Yang, MinYoung Kim, Young-Ho Park

Institutions: Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, CHA University Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Korea University of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects

Subfield: Biophysics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,790