In conclusion, we have successfully combined synthetic biology with nanotechnology, wherein mild magnetic hyperthermia was used to specifically activate genes in stem cells. Owing to the great potential of stem cells, the implications of this study go well beyond cancer applications, and can potentially be used for a host of applications that range from the stimuli-guided differentiation of stem cells for the treatment of injuries such as spinal cord or traumatic brain injury to other diseases such as those involving inflammation, wherein stem cells can be engineered to conditionally secrete anti-inflammatory molecules. As such, we have demonstrated a stimuli-responsive stem cell-based gene therapy using multifunctional MCNPs, which could have great potential for both cancer and other regenerative applications.