Prof. Assaf Gilad’s research integrates synthetic biology, protein engineering, molecular engineering, and biocatalysis to create programmable biological systems for applications in medicine, technology, and the environment. His laboratory combines engineering, molecular biology, and computational approaches to design proteins, genetic circuits, and cell-based technologies.
One major research direction is the development of biological systems that respond to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Inspired by a magneto-responsive protein from the glass catfish (Kryptopterus vitreolus), the lab engineers genetically encoded molecular switches for remote control of protein activity and gene expression, with potential applications in non-invasive cellular control, brain–machine interfaces, and bioelectronic technologies.
The lab also develops genetically encoded biosensors and imaging reporters that convert molecular or environmental signals into measurable outputs. These include engineered proteins that bind gadolinium and generate both fluorescent and MRI signals, as well as CEST-based MRI reporters designed through protein engineering and computational methods for non-invasive imaging of engineered cells and biological processes.
More broadly, the laboratory is developing an engineering framework for programmable biology, bringing concepts from engineering and computer science into living systems. Research directions include biological computing, bio-AI and genetic architectures, engineered biomaterials, magnetically controlled biological systems, hybrid bioelectronic interfaces, and biocatalysis. A central goal is to develop biological systems that can function like engineered devices: sensing information, integrating multiple inputs, making decisions, and generating controlled outputs. In this vision, proteins can become molecular components of computers, and living cells can become programmable platforms for biotechnology and medicine.
