Synthetic Biology:FAQ - Revision history

Azadeh Khamooshi: /* What is synthetic biology? */

Azadeh Khamooshi — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 03:16:06 GMT

What is synthetic biology?

←Older revision		Revision as of 03:16, 4 July 2010
Line 7:		Line 7:
	**the design and fabrication of biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world		**the design and fabrication of biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world
	**the re-design and fabrication of existing biological systems.		**the re-design and fabrication of existing biological systems.
		+
		+	There are two types of synthetic biologists. The first group uses unnatural molecules to mimic natural molecules with the goal of creating artificial life. The second group uses natural molecules and assembles them into a system that acts unnaturally. In general, the goal is to solve problems that are not easily understood through analysis and observation alone and it is only achieved by the manifestation of new models. So far, synthetic biology has produced diagnostic tools for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis viruses as well as devices from biomolecular parts with interesting functions. The term “synthetic biology” was first used on genetically engineered bacteria that were created with recombinant DNA technology which was synonymous with bioengineering. Later the term “synthetic biology” was used as a mean to redesign life which is an extension of biomimetic chemistry, where organic synthesis is used to generate artificial molecules that mimic natural molecules such as enzymes. Synthetic biologists are trying to assemble unnatural components to support Darwinian evolution. Recently, the engineering community is seeking to extract components from the biological systems to test and confirm them as building units to be reassembled in a way that can mimic the living nature. In the engineering aspect of synthetic biology, the suitable parts are the ones that can contribute independently to the whole system so that the behavior of an assembly can be predicted. DNA consists of double-stranded anti-parallel strands each having four various nucleotides assembled from bases, sugars and phosphates which are made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and phosphorus atoms. In the Watson-Crick model, A pairs with T and G pairs with C although occasionally some diversity exists. This simplification doesn’t exist in proteins. With analysis and observation alone, scientists convince themselves that the paradigms are the truth and if the data contradicts the theory, the data normally is discarded as an error, where synthesis encourages scientists to cross into the new land and define new theories. The same synthesis has long been used in chemistry such as chromatography. The combination of chemistry, biology and engineering can therefore create artificial Darwinian systems.
		+
	===What is the difference between synthetic biology and systems biology?===		===What is the difference between synthetic biology and systems biology?===
	*Systems biology studies complex biological systems as integrated wholes, using tools of modeling, simulation, and comparison to experiment. The focus tends to be on natural systems, often with some (at least long term) medical significance.		*Systems biology studies complex biological systems as integrated wholes, using tools of modeling, simulation, and comparison to experiment. The focus tends to be on natural systems, often with some (at least long term) medical significance.

Anthony C. Forster at 02:06, 30 October 2009

Anthony C. Forster — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:06:42 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 02:06, 30 October 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
-	~~<wikionly>~~
-	~~Go to [http://syntheticbiology.org/ http://syntheticbiology.org/]~~
-	~~</wikionly>~~
-	~~<div style="padding: 10px; width: 730px; color: #ffffff; background-color: #181860">~~
-	~~<font face="trebuchet ms" style="color:#ffffff">~~
-	~~'''<big>Synthetic Biology</big> is '''<br>~~
-	~~'''A) the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and'''<br>~~
-	~~'''B) the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes.'''~~
-	~~</font>~~
-	~~</div>~~
-	~~<div>[[Image:Cells-to-gears-big.png\|750px\|Synthetic Biology Logo]]</div>~~
	{{Synthetic biology top}}		{{Synthetic biology top}}

-	<div style="padding: 10px~~; width: 730px~~; color: #000000; background-color: #ccccff">	+	<div style="padding: 10px; color: #000000; background-color: #ccccff; width:730px" >
		+
	===What is synthetic biology?===		===What is synthetic biology?===
	*Synthetic biology refers to both:		*Synthetic biology refers to both:

Austin J. Che: /* Why isn't my question listed here? */

Austin J. Che — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:39:36 GMT

Why isn't my question listed here?

←Older revision		Revision as of 00:39, 20 December 2007
Line 48:		Line 48:
	*Many members of the community are in the process of developing classes or courses in synthetic biology. There are several sites that might be helpful in this endeavor. The [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page international Genetically Engineered Machines competition] is an international competition in which teams of students design and build an engineered biological system from [http://parts.mit.edu BioBricks] during the summer. iGEM maintains a list of [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Resources teaching materials] in synthetic biology. A list of some existing synthetic biology courses is maintained on the [[Synthetic Biology\|synthetic biology main page]].		*Many members of the community are in the process of developing classes or courses in synthetic biology. There are several sites that might be helpful in this endeavor. The [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page international Genetically Engineered Machines competition] is an international competition in which teams of students design and build an engineered biological system from [http://parts.mit.edu BioBricks] during the summer. iGEM maintains a list of [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Resources teaching materials] in synthetic biology. A list of some existing synthetic biology courses is maintained on the [[Synthetic Biology\|synthetic biology main page]].
	===Why isn't my question listed here?===		===Why isn't my question listed here?===
-	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email ~~synbio-admin~~ AT ~~openwetware~~ DOT org.	+	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email discuss AT syntheticbiology DOT org.
	</div>		</div>

	{{Synthetic biology bottom}}		{{Synthetic biology bottom}}

Austin J. Che at 21:48, 2 July 2007

Austin J. Che — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:48:01 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 21:48, 2 July 2007
Line 48:		Line 48:
	*Many members of the community are in the process of developing classes or courses in synthetic biology. There are several sites that might be helpful in this endeavor. The [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page international Genetically Engineered Machines competition] is an international competition in which teams of students design and build an engineered biological system from [http://parts.mit.edu BioBricks] during the summer. iGEM maintains a list of [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Resources teaching materials] in synthetic biology. A list of some existing synthetic biology courses is maintained on the [[Synthetic Biology\|synthetic biology main page]].		*Many members of the community are in the process of developing classes or courses in synthetic biology. There are several sites that might be helpful in this endeavor. The [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page international Genetically Engineered Machines competition] is an international competition in which teams of students design and build an engineered biological system from [http://parts.mit.edu BioBricks] during the summer. iGEM maintains a list of [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Resources teaching materials] in synthetic biology. A list of some existing synthetic biology courses is maintained on the [[Synthetic Biology\|synthetic biology main page]].
	===Why isn't my question listed here?===		===Why isn't my question listed here?===
-	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-~~www~~ AT ~~mit~~ DOT ~~edu~~.	+	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-admin AT openwetware DOT org.
	</div>		</div>

	{{Synthetic biology bottom}}		{{Synthetic biology bottom}}

Reshma P. Shetty at 16:19, 16 June 2006

Reshma P. Shetty — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 16:19:46 GMT

Jenny T Nguyen: added image to top.

Jenny T Nguyen — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:45:08 GMT

added image to top.

←Older revision		Revision as of 22:45, 11 April 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	<wikionly>
		+	Go to [http://syntheticbiology.org/ http://syntheticbiology.org/]
		+	</wikionly>
		+	<div style="padding: 10px; width: 730px; color: #ffffff; background-color: #181860">
		+	<font face="trebuchet ms" style="color:#ffffff">
		+	'''<big>Synthetic Biology</big> is '''<br>
		+	'''A) the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and'''<br>
		+	'''B) the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes.'''
		+	</font>
		+	</div>
		+	<div>[[Image:Cells-to-gears-big.png\|750px\|Synthetic Biology Logo]]</div>
	{{Synthetic biology top}}		{{Synthetic biology top}}

Reshma P. Shetty: /* Will there be another synthetic biology conference? */

Reshma P. Shetty — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 18:01:17 GMT

Will there be another synthetic biology conference?

←Older revision		Revision as of 18:01, 9 February 2006
Line 32:		Line 32:
	*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.		*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.
	===Will there be another synthetic biology conference?===		===Will there be another synthetic biology conference?===
-	*[http://~~conference~~.~~syntheticbiology~~.~~org~~ Synthetic Biology 2.0] is scheduled for May 20-22 at UC Berkeley. ~~Exact schedule and registration details still to be announced~~. Note that many other conferences are holding sessions relevant to synthetic biology. We are maintaining a list of [[Synthetic Biology:Conferences \| conferences]] relevant to the synthetic biology community.	+	*[http://pbd.lbl.gov/sbconf/ Synthetic Biology 2.0] is scheduled for May 20-22 at UC Berkeley. Registration is now open. Note that many other conferences are holding sessions relevant to synthetic biology. We are maintaining a list of [[Synthetic Biology:Conferences \| conferences]] relevant to the synthetic biology community.
		+
	===How can I learn more?===		===How can I learn more?===
	*Explore this site. Also, you can join the synthetic biology community [[Synthetic Biology:Mailing lists \| mailing lists]].		*Explore this site. Also, you can join the synthetic biology community [[Synthetic Biology:Mailing lists \| mailing lists]].

Barry Canton: Reverted edit of Bcanton, changed back to last version by Rshetty

Barry Canton — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 23:52:26 GMT

Reverted edit of Bcanton, changed back to last version by Rshetty

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:52, 11 January 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
-	{{Synthetic biology ~~master\|~~	+	{{Synthetic biology top}}
-	~~\|body~~ =	+
		+	<div style="padding: 10px; width: 730px; color: #000000; background-color: #ccccff">
	===What is synthetic biology?===		===What is synthetic biology?===
	*Synthetic biology refers to both:		*Synthetic biology refers to both:
Line 36:		Line 37:
	===Why isn't my question listed here?===		===Why isn't my question listed here?===
	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.		*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.
-	}}	+	</div>
		+
		+	{{Synthetic biology bottom}}

Barry Canton at 23:36, 11 January 2006

Barry Canton — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 23:36:33 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:36, 11 January 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
-	{{Synthetic biology ~~top}}~~	+	{{Synthetic biology master\|
-		+	\|body =
-	~~<div style~~=~~"padding: 10px; width: 730px; color: #000000; background-color: #ccccff">~~	+
	===What is synthetic biology?===		===What is synthetic biology?===
	*Synthetic biology refers to both:		*Synthetic biology refers to both:
Line 37:		Line 36:
	===Why isn't my question listed here?===		===Why isn't my question listed here?===
	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.		*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.
-	~~</div>~~	+	}}
-		+
-	~~{{Synthetic biology bottom~~}}	+

Reshma P. Shetty: /* I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go? */

Reshma P. Shetty — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 03:20:24 GMT

I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go?

←Older revision		Revision as of 03:20, 4 January 2006
Line 27:		Line 27:
	*Current synthesis costs are about $1-1.50 per base pair. Current synthesis times for a 1,500 bp gene are of order 4 weeks. So, we need a ~3-fold reduction in cost and a ~10-fold reduction in turn-around time, from where we are today for commercial DNA synthesis to be competitive with standard gene cloning. Such a cost reduction could play out within the next two years; however, changes in turn-around time are much harder to predict.		*Current synthesis costs are about $1-1.50 per base pair. Current synthesis times for a 1,500 bp gene are of order 4 weeks. So, we need a ~3-fold reduction in cost and a ~10-fold reduction in turn-around time, from where we are today for commercial DNA synthesis to be competitive with standard gene cloning. Such a cost reduction could play out within the next two years; however, changes in turn-around time are much harder to predict.
	===I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go?===		===I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go?===
-	*The field's relatively new and so there ~~aren't any~~ critical mass programs in place as yet. ~~In terms~~ of ~~programs where such work~~ is ~~happening, here is a short list: MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (~~[[~~Tom Knight]]); MIT Biological Engineering ([[Drew Endy]]); MIT Computational and Systems and~~ Biology ~~Initiative ([[Drew Endy~~]] ~~and [[Tom Knight]]); UC Berkeley Bioengineering ([http://www~~.~~lbl~~.~~gov/pbd/about/people/keasling.htm Jay Keasling]~~, ~~[http://www~~.lbl.gov/pbd/about/people/arkin.htm Adam Arkin] and others); Caltech Bioengineering, Biology, Engineering and Applied Science ([http://www.aph.caltech.edu/people/elowitz_m.html Michael Elowitz] and [http://www.che.caltech.edu/groups/fha/ Frances Arnold]); Princeton Electrical Engineering ([http://www.princeton.edu/~rweiss/ Ron Weiss]) and Boston University Biomedical Engineering ([http://www.bu.edu/dbin/bme/faculty/?prof=jcollins Jim Collins] and [http://www.bu.edu/dbin/bme/faculty/?prof=tgardner Tim Gardner])	+	*The field's relatively new and so there are few critical mass programs in place as yet. A list of schools and labs that support graduate study in synthetic biology is available on the [[Synthetic Biology:Graduate \| Graduate Programs]] page. Please add to it if you know of others. To date, there are not any undergraduate curriculums in synthetic biology but some universities are beginning to offer courses in the subject.
		+
	===I'm interested in donating time, money, and/or moral support. What do I do?===		===I'm interested in donating time, money, and/or moral support. What do I do?===
	*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.		*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.

←Older revision		Revision as of 16:19, 16 June 2006
Line 36:		Line 36:
	*Fast and cheap DNA sequencing and synthesis would allow for rapid design, fabrication, and testing of systems. Software tools that enable system design and simulation are also needed. Still-better measurement technologies that allow for observation of biological system state (i.e., the equivalent of a biological debugger) are also needed.		*Fast and cheap DNA sequencing and synthesis would allow for rapid design, fabrication, and testing of systems. Software tools that enable system design and simulation are also needed. Still-better measurement technologies that allow for observation of biological system state (i.e., the equivalent of a biological debugger) are also needed.
	===What is the current commercial availability for de-novo gene synthesis? Has this technology become competitive with standard gene cloning in terms of cost per base and time?===		===What is the current commercial availability for de-novo gene synthesis? Has this technology become competitive with standard gene cloning in terms of cost per base and time?===
-	*Current synthesis costs are about $1~~-1.50~~ per base pair. Current synthesis times for a 1,500 bp gene are of order 4 weeks. So, we need a ~3-fold reduction in cost and a ~10-fold reduction in turn-around time, from where we are today for commercial DNA synthesis to be competitive with standard gene cloning. Such a cost reduction could play out within the next two years; however, changes in turn-around time are much harder to predict.	+	*Current synthesis costs are about $1 per base pair. Current synthesis times for a 1,500 bp gene are of order 4 weeks. So, we need a ~3-fold reduction in cost and a ~10-fold reduction in turn-around time, from where we are today for commercial DNA synthesis to be competitive with standard gene cloning. Such a cost reduction could play out within the next two years; however, changes in turn-around time are much harder to predict.
	===I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go?===		===I want to study synthetic biology, where should I go?===
	*The field's relatively new and so there are few critical mass programs in place as yet. A list of schools and labs that support graduate study in synthetic biology is available on the [[Synthetic Biology:Graduate \| Graduate Programs]] page. Please add to it if you know of others. To date, there are not any undergraduate curriculums in synthetic biology but some universities are beginning to offer courses in the subject.		*The field's relatively new and so there are few critical mass programs in place as yet. A list of schools and labs that support graduate study in synthetic biology is available on the [[Synthetic Biology:Graduate \| Graduate Programs]] page. Please add to it if you know of others. To date, there are not any undergraduate curriculums in synthetic biology but some universities are beginning to offer courses in the subject.
-
	===I'm interested in donating time, money, and/or moral support. What do I do?===		===I'm interested in donating time, money, and/or moral support. What do I do?===
	*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.		*Donations of any sort are always welcome. Contact us.
	===Will there be another synthetic biology conference?===		===Will there be another synthetic biology conference?===
-	*[http://pbd.lbl.gov/sbconf/ Synthetic Biology 2.0] is scheduled for May 20-22 at UC Berkeley. Registration is now open. Note that many other conferences are holding sessions relevant to synthetic biology. We are maintaining a list of [[Synthetic Biology:Conferences \| conferences]] relevant to the synthetic biology community.	+	*We are maintaining a list of [[Synthetic Biology:Conferences \| conferences]] relevant to the synthetic biology community. Please check there for the latest information.
-		+
	===How can I learn more?===		===How can I learn more?===
	*Explore this site. Also, you can join the synthetic biology community [[Synthetic Biology:Mailing lists \| mailing lists]].		*Explore this site. Also, you can join the synthetic biology community [[Synthetic Biology:Mailing lists \| mailing lists]].
		+	===I'm interested in teaching a class on synthetic biology. Can you help?===
		+	*Many members of the community are in the process of developing classes or courses in synthetic biology. There are several sites that might be helpful in this endeavor. The [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page international Genetically Engineered Machines competition] is an international competition in which teams of students design and build an engineered biological system from [http://parts.mit.edu BioBricks] during the summer. iGEM maintains a list of [http://parts.mit.edu/wiki/index.php/Resources teaching materials] in synthetic biology. A list of some existing synthetic biology courses is maintained on the [[Synthetic Biology\|synthetic biology main page]].
	===Why isn't my question listed here?===		===Why isn't my question listed here?===
	*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.		*Because you haven't asked us yet - add it [[Talk:Synthetic Biology:FAQ\|here]] or email synbio-www AT mit DOT edu.