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2 Synthetic Biology: Science and Technology for the New Millennium
Pages 7-16

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From page 7...
... Biological parts in scientists' current inventory are capable of performing basic functions at the cellular level. Examples include engineered biological circuits3 and oscillators.4 However, researchers hope to achieve goals ranging from 1 Definition from syntheticbiology.org, a community of individuals, groups, and labs committed to "engineering biology in an open and ethical manner." The site provides community news, discussions, and various resources (see http://syntheticbiology.org, accessed March 27, 2013)
From page 8...
... At a fundamental level, synthetic biology seeks to take the creative force of nature and harness it technologically in order to solve problems of varying scale. In London, Huanming Yang, Director, Beijing Genomics Institute, optimistically described synthetic biology as "a science changing the world and the future of man," and proposed a motto for the field: "Life is what we make it." Building on a Heritage of Biological Discovery Though the practice of synthetic biology is new, the concept was coined a century ago in two publications by the biologist Stéphane Leduc.5 Modern synthetic biology has its roots in the 1953 discovery of the double helix structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
From page 9...
... Synthetic biologists also seek to elicit predictable cellular functions in, for example, regulatory and metabolic systems. In 1974, geneticist Waclaw Szybalski heralded the next stage of biological innovation: "Up to now we are working on the descriptive phase of molecular biology." "But the real challenge will start when we enter the synthetic biology phase of research in our field.
From page 10...
... The development of optical fibers has increased the capacity of data transfer -- and global networking -- by orders of magnitude.8 By the turn of the 21st century, progress in synthetic biology had accelerated as researchers began to exploit the concept of "forward engineering," which amalgamates custom-made or commercially available biological parts in order to test functionality.9,10 Commercial gene synthesis became a global enterprise.11 Next generation gene sequencing machines now provide faster and less expensive methods for indexing genetic code. Currently, synthetic biologists have the ability to design genetic code to elicit a specific function, pre-test the code for functionality using computer modeling, order the relevant genetic material from a commercial or open-source gene synthesis facility, and insert the material into a cell body in order to test real world functionality.
From page 11...
... approves use of synthetic insulin 1983: Development of the polymerase chain reaction (PRC) DNA amplification technology 1984: First commercialized genetically modified food (Flavr Savr tomato)
From page 12...
... Synthetic biology reverses traditional approaches to understanding the mechanisms of life. In his keynote address at the Washington, DC symposium, Michael Elowitz, Professor of Biology, Bioengineering, and Applied Physics; Bren Scholar; and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, described the new thinking this way: "Under routine biological approaches, one perturbs an existing system [and asks:]
From page 13...
... Synthetic biology has also created a unique opportunity for input from outside traditional academic venues -- from amateur scientists at community labs to undergraduate institutions to high schools. At the Washington, DC symposium, Meagan Lizarazo, Vice President of Operations at iGEM, and fellow panelists discussed a prominent example where such collaboration is the norm: the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM)
From page 14...
... Participants in the iGEM competition applaud the mindexpanding potential of the iGEM experience for developing scientists and engineers. "We learned the importance of collaboration and integrating human practices into our research -- those can be useful in our future careers," said Nikki Kapp, a graduate student at Penn State University who represented Imperial College London at iGEM as an undergraduate.
From page 15...
... to engage in or collaborate in research and interface with technology, synthetic biology might, in fact, be considered a "post-ELSI science." Realizing the potential of synthetic biology depends on overcoming significant challenges. These include not only technological challenges but also mitigating potential biosafety and biosecurity dangers, attending to social, legal, and political imperatives, and addressing intellectual property issues.


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