Researchers at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology demonstrated enzymatic transformations inside living microbes that are driven by light, enabling new biosynthetic routes to valuable molecules. The study outlines engineered enzymes and pathways that harness photochemistry in vivo to perform reactions not normally accessible to cellular metabolism. This photobiocatalysis approach may shorten synthetic routes, lower reliance on petrochemical feedstocks, and create on‑demand production platforms. Industrial biotech firms and synthetic‑biology startups could leverage the method for scalable production of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and specialty compounds pending demonstrations of yield, robustness, and industrial light‑delivery systems.