1DegreeBio Blog: Open Source Software to Diminish Synthetic Biology Risk

In recent years, the term synthetic biology has become very popular. Synthetic biology is a new area of biological research and technology that combines science and engineering. It encompasses a variety of different approaches, methodologies, and disciplines with a variety of definitions. The common goal is the design and construction of new biological functions and systems not found in nature. The advancement of synthetic biology relies on several key enabling technologies, provided at ever increasing speed and lower cost. DNA sequencing, fabrication of genes, modeling the synthetic gene's behavior and ensuring its precise measurements are the essential tools used in 


Read more : http://blog.1degreebio.org/?bid=386

Prokorala news: Man-made photosynthesis to boost food output

Photosynthesis, one of the most powerful biological processes on earth, permits plants to convert solar energy into food and fuel, but with only one percent efficiency. Richard Cogdell, professor at the University of Glasgow is trying to improve its productivity by creating an artificial 'leaf' to convert solar energy into liquid fuel.

Read more: http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a281361.html

fastcoexist.com: A Trip To The Living City Of The Future

Our built environment doesn’t have to be static. With the right synthetic biology, it can respond automatically to changes in temperature or moisture level, and even react to natural disasters, hunkering down during earthquakes or removing toxins after a toxic spill.

Read more: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679275/a-trip-to-the-living-city-of-the-future

Redefining Open Source for Synthetic Biology

Abstract:

Synthetic biology is an emerging technology combining information technology and biology. One notable presumption of synthetic biology is that scientists, with the assistance of computers, can create new life form without using naturally occurring organisms as references. However, it may be an overstatement in practice, because, even a single-base variation in a genome might dictate whether the synthetic organism could survive. Unlike the open source in information technologies, the open-source movement in synthetic biology raises biosafety concerns. The Article proposed a modified version of open source for the development of synthetic biology.

 Download article here: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1990113

Another introduction to synthetic biology

Title says all (click here) : 

BBC Horizon: Playing God

Adam Rutherford meets a new creature created by American scientists. It is part goat, part spider, and its milk can be used to create artificial spider's web. Read more : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00n57vm

Synthetic biology helps to develop "greener bombs"

"The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) is to develop innovative synthetic biological approaches to produce critical U.S. military energetic ingredients and their precursors using renewable resources and bioprocesses that reduce hazardous waste streams, energy usage, and waste disposal costs encountered with the existing conventional organic manufacturing processes. Both fundamental research to develop approaches applicable to these classes of compounds as well as applied research targeting a specific energetic compound or precursor is of interest."
Read more here : http://www.serdp.org/content/download/12059/146147/version/2/file/WPSON-13-04+Synthetic+Biology+for+Energetics.pdf

Next Generation Synthetic Biology Techniques, George Church

NEXT GENERATION TECHNIQUES, George Church, Harvard Medical School from Holly Million on Vimeo.

Living neon signs

I find it  amazing to see the building blocks and Synthetic biological circuitry come to life in areas so close to our daily experience. Signs are everywhere! What will be next? Pavement? Roofs? Walls?

From the article :

In an example of life imitating art, biologists and bioengineers at UC San Diego have created a living neon sign composed of millions of bacterial cells that periodically fluoresce in unison like blinking light bulbs.


Read more here : http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressreleases/researchers_create_living_neon_signs_composed_of_millions_of_glowing_bacter/

Sciencemag : The Allure of Synthetic Biology

Probably a very interesting collection of articles, however i have no acces to them.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6047/1235.full?rss=1

Developing standards in synthetic biology

A very interesting presentation on standardisation in syntheticbiology.

Imagine a world where:

• Each company made its own incompatible nut,  bold and screw?
• Every town had its own way to measure time.
• Every internet provider used different protocols for  the  ‘TCP/IP’ stack, email, web etc. 
• and so on

Standards are vital for the normal functioning of society




The presentation can be found here : www.dsrc.rpi.edu/presentations/RPITalk_2.pptx

Introducing Synthetic Biology - by iGEM Team TU Munich 2011

Another introduction to Synthetic Biology

An introduction to Syntethic Biology posted on youtube by The university of Bristol

What are the best online synthetic biology resources?

Some good resources on Synthetic Biology : http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-online-synthetic-biology-resources/answer/Alex-Yang-1

Synthetic Biology Workshop Keynote: J. Craig Venter on Synthetic Biology at NASA Ames

The synthetic biology initiative at NASA Ames is designed to harness biology in reliable, robust, engineered systems to support NASA’s exploration and science missions, to improve life on Earth, and to help shape NASA’s future. Read More : http://syntheticbiology.arc.nasa.gov/

What is Synthetic biology?

Visit to the design museum in London. Stumbled on E chromi

Recently I visited London and went to the design museum. There i stumbled on E chromi, one of the entrants of the 2009 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM). In the design museum E. chromi was an entrant to the The Brit Insurance Designs Awards, "the Oscars of the design world," 

E. chromi from Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg on Vimeo.

j5: automated DNA assembly software

I have been playing around with this tool, quite fascinating. More on it here : http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816133115.htm


Excerpt  "The j5 software package is a Web-based computer application that automatically designs and optimizes state-of-the-art DNA construction protocols," Hillson says. "Within minutes it can determine the optimal flanking sequences that should be attached to each DNA part to produce the desired recombinant DNA at the least expense, in a manner that is executable by hand or robotics."

Synthetic Biology Fact Sheet - Office of Naval Research

 

Interesting stuff and future applications here (http://www.onr.navy.mil/en/Media-Center/Fact-Sheets/Synthetic-Biology.aspx) :

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Synthetic Biology Program aims to develop transformational approaches to multiple naval application areas. Products will include living organisms with the capability to produce, deliver, detect and respond to compounds, or to provide command and control to nonliving miniaturized devices.

Secure and sustainable production of high-value materials, such as energetic materials or future naval fuels, may be achieved using synthetic biology. For example, both bacteria and plants have been engineered to use sugars, carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce intermediates for the production of TNT and TATB (triaminotrinitrobenzene, an aromatic explosive).

Living sentinel species have also been generated, which may allow ‘plug and play’ approaches for design of systems that can sense and respond to threats. The illustration above shows leaves of plants that have been programmed to respond to the detection of TNT vapor by turning white. The color change can be detected using remote spectral imaging systems.

Part of ONR’s program is centered on developing more of the synthetic biology tools needed to advance the field, such as methodology to produce large, multigene sequences, stimuli-responsive regulatory sequences and methods for rapidly adapting cells to perform new functions.

As ONR learns more about how living organisms work and how their functions are controlled at a genetic level, it will expand the repertoire of functions and pathways available for designing new organisms. Ultimately, engineered cells may be used to control and make decisions for a non-living nano or micro device through the cells’ processing of environmental information and translation into signals interpretable by that device.

"Synthetic Life?" The New Industrial Revolution? (Bioethics Seminar)

From Youtube : Will biological engineering usher in a new industrial revolution? Gregory Kaebnick, a research scholar at The Hastings Center, leads a bioethics seminar on synthetic biology. What is it? Where might it lead? What ethical questions does it raise?