AI Reimagines Caffeine as a Molecular Off‑Switch for Engineered Cells

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Researchers at Texas A&M Health used AI-guided de novo protein design to create CODS, a caffeine-operated dissociation system that acts as a molecular off-switch for engineered cells. The system lets caffeine split a protein complex apart and shut down attached cellular functions on demand. The team demonstrated the approach in gene circuits, a pyroptosis pathway, and CAR T cells, showing potential value for cell therapy control. A patent application covering the CODS platform has already been filed, and the team plans additional testing in therapeutic cells and animal models.

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