# Key Insights from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• Researchers discussed a breakthrough in magnetogenetics involving the Isca1 protein, which functions as an exogenous magnetoreceptor that could enable non-invasive magnetic activation of neurons, alongside related iGEM projects developing magnetic control of biological systems.

• The fundamental differences between biological and software systems were explored in depth, highlighting that biological systems lack clear "source code," feature self-modifying code with multiple reentrant abstractions, operate non-deterministically, and have pervasive side effects.

• Participants debated whether biology could ever be engineered with the reliability of electronics, with some suggesting directed evolution might be the only viable approach for complex biological systems, noting that biobricks may be more useful as educational tools than for serious engineering.

• In vitro compartmentalization (IVC) technology was discussed as a promising approach for directed evolution experiments, creating cell-like compartments where genes and their products remain together, achieving significant improvements in specificity through multiple selection rounds.

• Xenotransplantation advances were highlighted, particularly genetic modifications in pigs (such as 1,3 galactosyl transferase gene knockouts) to improve human compatibility, alongside Martine Rothblatt's work with United Therapeutics on genetically altered pigs for organ transplantation.

• Brain preservation strategies were debated, including maintaining brains in animal hosts versus "brains in jars," with discussions about the challenges of proper hormone balance and blood chemistry maintenance.

• Flexible carbon nanotube electrode arrays were identified as a potential solution to electrical spinal interface problems, offering better mechanical impedance matching to neural tissue than traditional glass/metal electrodes.