With their first ever RNA-based inducible system for switching on genes in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), two researchers from the University of Konstanz have closed a significant gap in genetic switches. The new approach was developed as part of a joint research project carried out by Dr. Martin Gamerdinger (Department of Biology) and Professor Jörg Hartig (Department of Chemistry) at the University of Konstanz. By sharing their respective expertise in the area of C. elegans and the development of RNA-based genetic switches, the researchers successfully induced a gene in the animal model using an RNA-based genetic switch. They were further able to establish a novel inducible disease model for Huntington’s disease, which opens up new opportunities for research and application.