Please note: The registration deadline is September 1st. You can also submit poster presentations until September 1st.

Synthetic Biology is a new approach to engineering biology, with an emphasis on technologies to write DNA. Recent advances make the de novo chemical synthesis of long DNA polymers routine and precise. Foundational work, including the standardization of DNA-encoded parts and devices, enables them to be combined to create programs to control cells. With the development of this technology, there is a concurrent effort to address legal, social and ethical issues.

What are the applications?

BioEnergy. Cells are being engineered to consume agricultural products and produce liquid fuels. British Petroleum and the US DOE granted $650 million dollars for research in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Drug Production. Bacteria and yeast can be re-engineered for the low cost production of drugs. Examples include the anti-malarial drug Artemisinin and the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor.

Materials. Recombinant cells have been constructed that can build chemical precursors for the production of plastics and textiles, such as Bio-PDO and spider silk.

Medicine. Cells are being programmed for therapeutic purposes. Bacteria and T-cells can be rewired to circulate in the body and identify and treat diseased cells and tissues. One such research program is the NIH-funded Cell Propulsion Laboratory at UCSF.

How is this different from genetic engineering?

Synthetic Biology builds on tools that have been developed over the last 30 years. Genetic engineering has focused on the use of molecular biology to build DNA (for example, cloning and PCR) and automated sequencing to read DNA. Synthetic Biology adds the automated synthesis of DNA, the setting of standards and the use of abstraction to simplify the design process.

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