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{Elani:2018:10.1038/s41598-018-22263-3,
author = {Elani, Y and Trantidou, T and Wylie, D and Dekker, L and Polizzi, K and Law, R and Ces, O},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-22263-3},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
pages = {1--8},
title = {Constructing vesicle-based artificial cells with embedded living cells as organelle-like modules},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-22263-3},
volume = {8},
year = {2018}
}

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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - There is increasing interest in constructing artificial cells by functionalising lipid vesicles with biological and synthetic machinery. Due to their reduced complexity and lack of evolved biochemical pathways, the capabilities of artificial cells are limited in comparison to their biological counterparts. We show that encapsulating living cells in vesicles provides a means for artificial cells to leverage cellular biochemistry, with the encapsulated cells serving organelle-like functions as living modules inside a larger synthetic cell assembly. Using microfluidic technologies to construct such hybrid cellular bionic systems, we demonstrate that the vesicle host and the encapsulated cell operate in concert. The external architecture of the vesicle shields the cell from toxic surroundings, while the cell acts as a bioreactor module that processes encapsulated feedstock which is further processed by a synthetic enzymatic metabolism co-encapsulated in the vesicle.
AU  - Elani,Y
AU  - Trantidou,T
AU  - Wylie,D
AU  - Dekker,L
AU  - Polizzi,K
AU  - Law,R
AU  - Ces,O
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-018-22263-3
EP  - 8
PY  - 2018///
SN  - 2045-2322
SP  - 1
TI  - Constructing vesicle-based artificial cells with embedded living cells as organelle-like modules
T2  - Scientific Reports
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-22263-3
UR  - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-22263-3
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/57286
VL  - 8
ER  -