Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L. J. Prather Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology NSF Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC) Cambridge, MA, USA Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues July 8, 2010
Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L. J. Prather Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology NSF Synthetic Biology.
Dec 19, 2015
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Applications of Synthetic Biology
Kristala L. J. Prather
Department of Chemical Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
NSF Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC)
Cambridge, MA, USA
Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical IssuesJuly 8, 2010
July 8, 2010
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Practical Definition of Synthetic Biology
• “making biology easier to engineer” -- Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC)
• Applying engineering principles to biological systems
– Design
– Modeling
– Characterization
Key enabling technology:
DNA synthesis
July 8, 2010
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Engineering Biology
• Biological workspace– Microbes– Mammalian cells– Plants– ....
• Broader applications– Therapeutics (Pharmaceuticals, Biologics)– Energy (esp. Fuels)– Chemicals– Agriculture– ….
July 8, 2010
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Therapeutics
University of California, Berkeley
Nature (2006)
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Therapeutics
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
PNAS (2009)
July 8, 2010
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Fuels
University of California, Los Angeles
Nature (2008)
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Fuels
with the power of synthetic biology.
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Energy - Solar
Biology as a template for engineering nanostructures
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Nature Biotechnology (2009)
Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Chemicals
Metabolic Engineering (2010)
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• Biological “Computing”, Programmability
Nature (2009)
Nature (2000)
Nature (2005)
The Repressilator
Nature (2010)UC San Diego
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Achievements in Synthetic Biology
• And extending the principles of design and construction to whole organisms
Science (2010) – JCVI, Rockville, MD
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Challenges in Synthetic Biology
• Biology is complex,– and often context-dependent.
• Synthesis capabilities far exceed design capabilities.– We know how to build, but not yet what to build.
• Potential benefits are enormous.– Food, Energy, Medicine
• Potential risks are real.– Technological improvements are not limited to
beneficial use.
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