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{Blount:2019:synbio/ysy020,
author = {Blount, B and Ellis, T},
doi = {synbio/ysy020},
journal = {Synthetic Biology},
title = {The Synthetic Genome Summer Course},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/synbio/ysy020},
volume = {3},
year = {2019}
}

Download

RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The Synthetic Genome Summer Course was convened with the aim of teaching a wide range of researchers the theory and practical skills behind recent advances in synthetic biology and synthetic genome science, with a focus on Sc2.0, the synthetic yeast genome project. Through software workshops, tutorials and research talks from leading members of the field, the 30 attendees learnt about relevant principles and techniques that they were then able to implement first-hand in laboratory-based practical sessions. Participants SCRaMbLEd semi-synthetic yeast strains to diversify heterologous pathways, used automation to build combinatorial pathway libraries and used CRISPR to debug fitness defects caused by synthetic chromosome design changes. Societal implications of synthetic chromosomes were explored and industrial stakeholders discussed synthetic biology from a commercial standpoint. Over the 5 days, participants gained valuable insight and acquired skills to aid them in future synthetic genome research.
AU  - Blount,B
AU  - Ellis,T
DO  - synbio/ysy020
PY  - 2019///
SN  - 2397-7000
TI  - The Synthetic Genome Summer Course
T2  - Synthetic Biology
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/synbio/ysy020
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/66515
VL  - 3
ER  -

Download