Human genes can be controlled with electricity, experiment reveals

Technology has penetrated every aspect of our lives. There are plenty of wearable gadgets available in the market that measure the steps we take, our heart rate, blood pressure and whatnot. This data proves useful for us in maintaining our health by keeping a watch.

But these wearables aren't yet advanced enough to actively affect our metabolism or to help us manage some of our illnesses. But now the trend may change as an experiment on ETH Zurich has revealed that we can harness electricity to influence our DNA!

"Wearable electronic devices are playing a rapidly expanding role in the acquisition of individuals' health data for personalized medical interventions," the researchers write in their published paper. The paper has been published in journal Nature Metabolism, as reported by Sciencealert.

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"However, wearables cannot yet directly programme gene-based therapies because of the lack of a direct electrogenetic interface. Here we provide the missing link."

How this helps

Let's take an example of a person with diabetes. If the technique is used to boost production of insulin in the body, it is bound to help the patient.

For this particular study, human pancreatic cells were implanted into mice with type 1 diabetes. These cells were then stimulated using direct current though acupuncture needles.

The tech is being called DART (DC-Actuated Regulation Technology). The researchers have said that the technology brings digital tech of gadgets and analog tech or our bodies together.

The electricity gives rise to non-toxic levels of reactive oxygen species. These are energetic molecules which, after proper management, can kick off a process that leads to activation of cells which are engineered to respond to changes in chemistry.

This essentially, the research says, is changing how DNA inside the cell is regulated by tinkering with their epigenetic 'on/off switch'. This can help in variety of conditions affected by genetics.

So are we close to buying a Fitbit band that'll transform us by effecting changes at the genetic level? Well it might be too early to say that, but the experiment has surely taken the first steptowards such a future.

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