Engineering Biology I: Deconstructing synthetic biology technology across scales

1 Unit · Graduate

Synthetic biology is the field of science that involves reusing, repurposing and redesigning biological systems to solve important societal challenges. Combining principles from the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and mathematics, synthetic biologists are turning to nature to solve important societal challenges in environmental health, manufacturing and human health, and fueling the bioeconomy. But how does one approach these grand challenges? In this course, we will deconstruct how synthetic biology solutions must integrate concepts and innovations across multiple spatiotemporal scales including molecular, circuit/network, cellular and cell-free systems, cellular communities and even societal scales. Case studies will be framed around synthetic biology solutions to global challenges in environmental health, biochemical production and human health that are being actively pursued by the field and in some cases commercialized. We will break down each of these solutions to identify the engineering choices made at each scale and the biological interactions at the interfaces between scales important for the success of the solution. Throughout, we will learn about important factors at the interface of synthetic biology technologies and society that must be considered when responsibly developing technologies that have an impact on their societal challenge. This course will also introduce trainees to the elective courses within the Center for Synthetic Biology that cover each scale in more depth.