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{Casini:2015:10.1038/nrm4014,
author = {Casini, A and Storch, M and Baldwin, GS and Ellis, T},
doi = {10.1038/nrm4014},
journal = {Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology},
pages = {568--576},
title = {Bricks and blueprints: methods and standards for DNA assembly},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrm4014},
volume = {16},
year = {2015}
}

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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - DNA assembly is a key part of constructing gene expression systems and even whole chromosomes. In the past decade, a plethora of powerful new DNA assembly methods — including Gibson Assembly, Golden Gate and ligase cycling reaction (LCR) — have been developed. In this Innovation article, we discuss these methods as well as standards such as the modular cloning (MoClo) system, GoldenBraid, modular overlap-directed assembly with linkers (MODAL) and PaperClip, which have been developed to facilitate a streamlined assembly workflow, to aid the exchange of material between research groups and to create modular reusable DNA parts.
AU  - Casini,A
AU  - Storch,M
AU  - Baldwin,GS
AU  - Ellis,T
DO  - 10.1038/nrm4014
EP  - 576
PY  - 2015///
SN  - 1471-0080
SP  - 568
TI  - Bricks and blueprints: methods and standards for DNA assembly
T2  - Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrm4014
UR  - http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000360342100009&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/31281
VL  - 16
ER  -