Until now, studying the genetic processes in cells required destroying them - making it impossible to observe these processes over extended periods of time. A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz Munich has developed a new method to repeatedly obtain up-to-date genetic information from living cells. In the future, this will enable better monitoring of stem cells for therapies or the effects of drugs within cells.
Andreas Heddergott / TUM Normally, cells must be lysed for a so-called transcriptome analysis - which reveals which genes are currently being expressed - making repeated measurements on the same cells impossible. The research team led by Gil Westmeyer, Professor of Neurobiological Engineering at TUM, uses virus-like particles for their new process, called NTVE (Non-destructive Transcriptomics via Vesicular Export). These particles shuttle messenger RNA - the active gene products - out of living cells.
The RNA is then extracted from the bubbles outside the cell and analyzed. This allows researchers to determine which genes are currently active. The results obtained through the new process show excellent concordance with comparative measurements using the conventional standard method - without the critical drawback of permanently destroying the cell being studied.
The new method therefore allows for repeated sampling over several days, for example to closely monitor the differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes or germ layers. It also works in neurons and mixed cell populations, enabling analysis of cell-to-cell communication.
Hope for Better Treatments for Serious Diseases
Prof. Gil Westmeyer emphasizes: "This method provides biomedical research with a powerful new tool. We will gain day-by-day insights into the maturation and functionality of stem cells. This could make future cell therapies more precise and effective."
First author Niklas Armbrust and co-corresponding author Dr. Jeffery Truong add: "Our new method also makes it possible to genetically prepare cells for implantation into tissue. In addition, NTVE can potentially be used for long-term analysis of organoids as well as for further research into tumors and their intercellular communication."
Niklas Armbrust, Martin Grosshauser et al: "Non-destructive transcriptomics via vesicular export", published in: Nature Communications 17, 3812 (2026), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-72072-w
- Researchers from the following institutions contributed to this interdisciplinary study: Technical University of Munich (TUM), Helmholtz Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, TUM School of Medicine and Health, TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology.
- Prof. Gil Westmeyer is also a Principal Investigator at the Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering (MIBE) . It is an Integrative Research Institute of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and synergies among researchers across the broad field of biomedical engineering. At MIBE, researchers from medicine, the natural sciences, and engineering jointly develop and improve methods for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Activities range from investigating fundamental scientific principles to their application in medical devices, drugs, and software.
- In addition to human cells, murine neurons were used in the research for this study.
