What is Synthetic Biology?

Northwestern Engineering
20 Oct 202002:28

Summary

TLDRThis transcript features a physicist-turned-synthetic biologist exploring how biology can be programmed like computers, using physics as a tool. With a focus on reprogramming biological systems, the speaker discusses advances in synthetic biology, from building DNA that makes bacteria blink to creating cell-based devices to treat cancer. The potential of synthetic biology extends to solving real-world problems like plastic degradation and environmental sensing. The field is accelerating, with immediate implications, and its transformative impact on medicine, materials, and the environment is already unfolding.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The speaker was trained as a physicist and became fascinated with computers, leading to an interest in programming biology using the rules of physics.
  • 😀 After their PhD, the speaker had an 'aha moment' about the potential of programming biology like computers.
  • 😀 The field of synthetic biology was in its early stages when the speaker began working on understanding how the immune system works.
  • 😀 A breakthrough in synthetic biology allowed for building DNA that could control bacteria, making them blink rhythmically when inserted into a bacterium.
  • 😀 Over the past few decades, the ability to reprogram living organisms using synthetic biology has accelerated dramatically.
  • 😀 Biology is unique because, in addition to programming, biological systems can produce useful substances like fuels, medicines (e.g., insulin), and enzymes for household products.
  • 😀 Synthetic biology aims to use biology’s natural methods of molecule creation to produce new types of molecules that biology has never seen before.
  • 😀 The speaker's lab focuses on building cell membranes from scratch in the laboratory, which surround every living organism.
  • 😀 One application of synthetic biology in the speaker’s lab is using cell-based devices to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system to recognize and remove tumors.
  • 😀 The speaker is collaborating on a project to use biology to help degrade plastics, with the goal of creating plastics that break down on command.
  • 😀 The field of synthetic biology is reaching a tipping point, and the impact of these advancements will be seen in our lifetime, not in the distant future.

Q & A

  • What led to the speaker's interest in programming biology?

    -The speaker, originally trained as a physicist, had an 'aha moment' after their PhD, realizing the potential of programming biology in a similar way to programming computers, using the rules of physics.

  • What was one of the early experiments in synthetic biology that the speaker was involved with?

    -One of the early experiments involved building a piece of DNA that, when inserted into a bacterium, would make the bacterium blink rhythmically, turning on and off.

  • How has the field of synthetic biology evolved over the years?

    -Over the last few decades, the ability to reprogram the living world has accelerated, with advances allowing for more sophisticated manipulation and use of biological systems.

  • What unique capability does biology have that synthetic biology can leverage?

    -Biology can not only program systems but also create useful molecules such as fuels, medicines like insulin, and enzymes for products like laundry detergents.

  • What is synthetic biology’s approach to making molecules?

    -Synthetic biology uses biology's natural ability to make molecules, but applies it to produce molecules that biology has never encountered before.

  • What role does the speaker’s lab play in the field of synthetic biology?

    -The speaker’s lab focuses on re-creating the cell membrane from scratch in the lab, a key structure that surrounds all living organisms.

  • What is one of the applications the speaker’s lab is exploring?

    -The lab is working on using cell-based devices to treat cancer by prompting the immune system to recognize and remove tumors safely from the body.

  • What is the new collaboration the speaker is involved in?

    -The speaker is collaborating on a project to use biology to help degrade plastics, with the long-term goal of creating plastics that degrade on command.

  • How has the speaker’s team approached sensing environmental changes?

    -The team has developed a method to take lead-sensing molecules from bacteria and place them in a test tube, allowing people to detect lead contamination by dipping a piece of paper in water and observing a color change.

  • How does the speaker view the future impact of synthetic biology?

    -The speaker believes synthetic biology is at a tipping point and will begin impacting society immediately, not in decades, as the field is evolving rapidly and starting to make a difference today.

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Étiquettes Connexes
Synthetic BiologyTechnologyInnovationBiologyGenetic EngineeringCancer ResearchEnvironmental ImpactPlastics DegradationImmune SystemMedical AdvancementsCell Membrane
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