Integrated Biosciences has developed a groundbreaking optogenetic screening platform that targets stressed cells through the Integrated Stress Response (ISR), a pathway linked to aging, viral infections, and neurodegeneration.

This modular platform can be adapted to other complex biological pathways, opening new avenues for longevity research and drug discovery.

The system offers millisecond-level temporal and micron-level spatial control, allowing precise activation and deactivation of cellular stress to minimize off-target effects common in traditional drug methods.

Unlike previous ISR modulators that faced issues like cytotoxicity, this approach enables specific activation and clearer biological readouts, as highlighted by Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Maxwell Wilson.

The compounds work by upregulating the transcription factor ATF4 within the ISR, sensitizing cells to apoptosis only under stress conditions.

One promising compound, IBX-200, demonstrated significant efficacy in a mouse model of ocular herpesvirus infection by increasing ISR-related gene expression under stress.

The research team screened over 370,000 small molecules, discovering several ISR-potentiating compounds with broad-spectrum antiviral activity and the ability to selectively target stressed cells while sparing healthy ones.

Beyond antiviral applications, this technology has the potential to target aging by tuning cellular stress responses, potentially clearing dysfunctional cells before they develop into disease.

Experts believe this optogenetic platform could revolutionize therapeutic discovery by enabling detailed exploration of disease-relevant biology and chemical space.