Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L J Prather

Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L. J. Prather Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology NSF Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (Syn. BERC) Cambridge, MA, USA Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues July 8, 2010

Practical Definition of Synthetic Biology • “making biology easier to engineer” -- Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (Syn. BERC) • Applying engineering principles to biological systems – Design – Modeling – Characterization July 8, 2010 Key enabling technology: DNA synthesis 2

Engineering Biology • Biological workspace – – Microbes Mammalian cells Plants. . • Broader applications – – – July 8, 2010 Therapeutics (Pharmaceuticals, Biologics) Energy (esp. Fuels) Chemicals Agriculture …. 3

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Therapeutics University of California, Berkeley July 8, 2010 Nature (2006) 4

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Therapeutics ETH Zurich, Switzerland July 8, 2010 PNAS (2009) 5

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Fuels University of California, Los Angeles July 8, 2010 Nature (2008) 6

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Fuels with the power of synthetic biology. July 8, 2010 7

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Energy - Solar July 8, 2010 Biology as a template for engineering nanostructures 8

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • Chemicals Nature Biotechnology (2009) Metabolic Engineering (2010) July 8, 2010 9

Achievements in Synthetic Biology 10 • Biological “Computing”, Programmability The Repressilator Nature (2005) Nature (2000) Nature (2009) UC San Diego Nature (2010) July 8, 2010

Achievements in Synthetic Biology • And extending the principles of design and construction to whole organisms Science (2010) – JCVI, Rockville, MD July 8, 2010 11

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. July 8, 2010 12