Synthetic biology is an emerging field that takes knowledge and tools from biology, genetic engineering, and metabolic engineering to build devices to do something interesting and useful (e.g., produce chemicals, detect disease, sense environmental changes, etc.). Because synthetic biology is in its infancy and includes a broad range of tools and applications, it has been difficult to pin down a clear and succinct definition that describes what synthetic biology is and what it attempts to achieve. One popular way to describe synthetic biology is as an analog to electronics and integrated circuits. In the electronics field, integrated circuits are built from individual circuits consisting of transistors; in synthetic biology, biological devices are built from genetic circuits made of DNA sequences taken from different biological organisms.
This article includes two parts: a main body and two commentaries. The main body will define synthetic biology through the words of pioneers of this field, identify the tools and technologies that enable this discipline, and discuss what achievements have been made to date. It will provide a snapshot of the research currently being done worldwide in synthetic biology and discuss the progress targets expected over the next 5–10 years as well as challenges that must be overcome to reach these milestones. The two commentaries will be written by experts in the field, who will provide their perspective on what synthetic biology is, what it promises, and challenges that must be overcome to reach its potential.
Synthetic Biology
DNA sequencing equipment
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment
Directed evolution equipment
July, 2015