(3db) Synthetic Control of Metabolic Pathways to Improve Productivity of Biomass-Based Chemicals and Drugs

The past decade has witnessed the power of synthetic biology in the creation of synthetic devices and systems that help to understand complex biological systems.  However, its potential for real-world applications has not been fully exploited.  One of its promising applications is the construction of programmed cells that are able to integrate multiple environmental signals and to implement synthetic control over biological processes.  My research interests are focused on developing microbes that are able to process multiple input signals and to produce desirable outputs.  Specifically, I aim to create synthetic gene circuits in order to control metabolic pathways and improve productivity of biomass-based chemicals and drugs.  During my poster session I will present examples of my research projects that have embodied my research ideas.  I will also discuss the challenges and potentials of my research plans.