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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 Issues July 8, 2010

Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L. J. Prather Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology NSF Synthetic Biology

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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– ….

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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)

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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.