A team of domestic scientists has developed a laser technology that allows DNA to be inserted into living cells without much damage to the cells.

The science ministry said on Tuesday that professor Lee Yong-gu, Dr. Muhammad Waleed and other researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology developed the “optical tweezers” technology that enables researchers to poke holes on the surface of a cell with a high-powered laser and then insert DNA into the desired location.

Optical tweezers are scientific instruments that use the electromagnetic field of a laser to trap and move microscopic particles. The technology allows scientists to precisely control the amount of genes, the moment to incorporate the genes and the transfer spot.

The findings were published in the August 7th edition of the Biomedical Optics Express.

The research was carried out with the support of the ministry and the National Research Foundation of Korea.