This is a very important question! This is exactly why we are opting for a system that is active and externally controllable. Using a tiny machine that can be selective towards non-healthy tissue, that can be externally controlled to accumulate in a specific location (i.e., tumor) and that is equipped with an on/off switch to release its cargo on-demand are all the desired features in bacteriabots. This way, you minimize the side effects on non-target healthy cells. Realistically, it is almost impossible to cause no harm to a healthy cell even with an active controllable system. In that case, our bodies have defense mechanisms (immune system) that can fight unwanted agents. It is crucial to make sure that the bacteriabots are safe for administration below a certain dose and that they are not causing any pathological response.

All the best,
/birgül