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Synthetic Biology

SynBio aims to create new biological components that don’t exist in nature – either from scratch or redesigning natural parts. Whether to start afresh or start with something that already works splits the two approaches to synthetic biology:

  • bottom up – using manufactured biomolecular components and synthesising them into living structures
  • top down – giving new, or novel, functions to already living cells using genetic engineering

Although evolution has created some amazing machines, at every level from proteins to mammals, it is unguided and therefore may have missed opportunities whilst it was just trying to survive in the harsh environment.

Examples of applications within healthcare and life extension include:

  • cell transformation – improving the function of existing cells with human designed gene circuits and organelles
  • designer proteins – instead of improving the processes natural proteins take part in, it’s possible to improve the design of the proteins themselves
  • drug delivery – building logic into bacteria allowing better targeting of pharmaceuticals, therefore reducing some of their side-effects (a synthetic call LOCKR has already been designed to provide this sort of logic)
  • biosensors – e.g. using modified bacteria to detect and report on infections

Synthetic Biology News

Springy synthetic cells supercharge T-cell immune response

Springy synthetic cells supercharge T-cell immune response

UCLA Samueli School Of Engineering - 25-Nov-2024

UCLA unveils viscoelastic antigen mimics to boost immunity and fight cancer

Integrated Biosciences secures $17m to fast-track age-related disease treatments

Integrated Biosciences secures $17m to fast-track age-related disease treatments

Longevity Technology - 03-Oct-2024

Using AI and biology to speed up drug discovery for healthier ageing

Google DeepMind launches Alphaproteo: A game-changer in AI-driven protein design

Google DeepMind launches Alphaproteo: A game-changer in AI-driven protein design

MobiHealthNews - 10-Sep-2024

AlphaProteo redefines protein design with groundbreaking AI accuracy

NCOB seeks ethical solutions for building trust in engineering biology

NCOB seeks ethical solutions for building trust in engineering biology

Nuffield Council on Bioethics - 02-Jul-2024

Proposes ethical pathways for profit and public trust challenges

More Synthetic Biology News

Synthetic Biology Resources

Click on resource name for more details.

Insilico Medicine

Biotechnology company that uses artificial intelligence to develop new drugs and for aging research

Centaura

Company with mission to prevent and reverse aging.

Bit.bio

Human cell coding company

LabGenius

A biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics using machine learning

The Emergence of Life: From Chemical Origins to Synthetic Biology

Amazon

The book gives an exhaustive treatment of the biophysical properties of vesicles written by Pier Luigi Luisi

Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life

Amazon

Book about synthetic genomics written by J. Craig Venter

More Synthetic Biology resources
Topics covered in this page:
Synthetic Biology, Synthetic Chromosomes