Skip to main contentNews & ViewsPublished: 31 July 2026Protein engineeringChristopher D. Snow ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7690-35191 Nature Nanotechnology (2026) Cite this articleSave articleView saved researchLiving cells are engineered as microscale factories that grow programmable protein crystals with concentric layers, each capable of carrying distinct nanoscale cargo and dissolving sequentially to enable precisely timed, multi-stage payload release.This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institutionAccess options Access through your institutionAccess Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journalsGet Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription27,99 € / 30 dayscancel any timeLearn moreSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 print issues and online access269,00 € per yearonly 22,42 € per issueLearn moreRent or buy this articlePrices vary by article typefrom$1.95to$39.95Learn morePrices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkoutFig. 1: An in cellulo crystallization platform developed by Yang et al.SubjectsDrug deliveryNanofabrication and nanopatterningReferencesYang, H. et al. Nat. Nanotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-026-02198-x (2026).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Abe, S. et al. ACS Nano 11, 2410–2419 (2017).Article PubMed Google Scholar Li, Z. et al. Nat. Mater. 22, 1556–1563 (2023).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Yan, Y. et al. Nature 652, 1049–1059 (2026).Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar Yang, Z., Lee, M. M. M. & Chan, M. K. Biomaterials 271, 120759 (2021).Article PubMed Google Scholar Download referencesAuthor informationAuthors and AffiliationsSchool of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USAChristopher D. SnowAuthorsChristopher D. SnowView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorCorrespondence to Christopher D. Snow.Ethics declarationsRights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this article