In this section

Research

Biological systems - including the simplest cells - exhibit a broad range of functions to thrive in their environment. Research in the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology is focused on the possibility of engineering the underlying biochemical processes to solve many of the challenges facing society, from healthcare to sustainable energy. In particular, we model, analyse, design and build biological and biochemical systems in living cells and/or in cell extracts, both exploring and enhancing the engineering potential of biology.

As part of our research we develop novel methods to accelerate the celebrated Design-Build-Test-Learn synthetic biology cycle. As such research in the Centre for Synthetic Biology highly multi- and interdisciplinary covering computational modelling and machine learning approaches; automated platform development and genetic circuit engineering ; multi-cellular and multi-organismal interactions, including gene drive and genome engineering; metabolic engineering; in vitro/cell-free synthetic biology; engineered phages and directed evolution; and biomimetics, biomaterials and biological engineering.

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Trantidou:2018:10.1098/rsfs.2018.0024,
author = {Trantidou, T and Dekker, L and Polizzi, K and Ces, O and Elani, Y},
doi = {10.1098/rsfs.2018.0024},
journal = {Interface Focus},
title = {Functionalizing cell-mimetic giant vesicles with encapsulated bacterial biosensors},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2018.0024},
volume = {8},
year = {2018}
}

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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The design of vesicle microsystems as artificial cells (bottom-up synthetic biology) has traditionally relied on the incorporation of molecular components to impart functionality. These cell mimics have reduced capabilities compared with their engineered biological counterparts (top-down synthetic biology), as they lack the powerful metabolic and regulatory pathways associated with living systems. There is increasing scope for using whole intact cellular components as functional modules within artificial cells, as a route to increase the capabilities of artificial cells. In this feasibility study, we design and embed genetically engineered microbes (Escherichia coli) in a vesicle-based cell mimic and use them as biosensing modules for real-time monitoring of lactate in the external environment. Using this conceptual framework, the functionality of other microbial devices can be conferred into vesicle microsystems in the future, bridging the gap between bottom-up and top-down synthetic biology.
AU  - Trantidou,T
AU  - Dekker,L
AU  - Polizzi,K
AU  - Ces,O
AU  - Elani,Y
DO  - 10.1098/rsfs.2018.0024
PY  - 2018///
SN  - 2042-8901
TI  - Functionalizing cell-mimetic giant vesicles with encapsulated bacterial biosensors
T2  - Interface Focus
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2018.0024
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/62596
VL  - 8
ER  -