Magnetic bacteria possess extraordinary capabilities due to the magnetic nanoparticles, the magnetosomes, which are concatenated inside their cells. A research team at the University of Bayreuth has now transferred all the about 30 genes responsible for the production of these particles to non-magnetic bacteria in a broad series of experiments. This resulted in a number of new bacterial strains that are now capable of producing magnetosomes. The research findings presented in „Nature Nanotechnology“ are groundbreaking for the generation of magnetized living cells, which have great potential for the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic methods in biomedicine.