️ Episode 224: AntennAlive — wireless in-body sensing with engineered bacteria

In this episode of PaperCast Base by Base, we explore A bio-hybrid, battery-free implant converts engineered bacterial activity into microwave backscatter signals by controlled degradation of a biodegradable antenna

Study Highlights:
The AntennAlive system uses a magnesium split-ring passive implant antenna coupled with genetically engineered Escherichia coli that accelerate metal degradation to convert molecular detection into an electromagnetic signature. E. coli BL21 engineered to express the CcmA–H cytochrome c maturation pathway degraded the magnesium prototype faster (≈8 h) than non-engineered cells (≈14 h), causing a controlled structural transition from split ring to segmented ring. Numerical and experimental work showed resonant frequencies near 1.16 GHz for the intact antenna and 1.91 GHz after degradation, and an on-body reader antenna covering 0.8–2.3 GHz enabled backscatter monitoring through a muscle phantom. A wireless, chipless link between the cell-based passive implant and an external receiver was demonstrated at 25 mm implant depth, showing potential for molecular-level in-body sensing without batteries or electronics.

Conclusion:
Genetically programmed bacteria can modulate biodegradable antenna properties to produce remotely detectable backscatter signals, enabling battery-free, implantable molecular sensing.

Music:
Enjoy the music based on this article at the end of the episode.

Reference:
Bilir A., Yavuz M., Safak Seker U. O., Dumanli S. Wireless in-body sensing through genetically engineered bacteria. Nature Communications. 2025;16:10432. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65416-5

License:
This episode is based on an open-access article published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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