Applications of Synthetic Biology
- [Hoover Tower, Stanford University]
- Synthetic Biological Circuits
Synthetic biological circuits are an application of synthetic biology in which biological components within cells are designed to perform logical functions that mimic those observed in electronic circuits. Applications range from simple induced production, to adding measurable elements such as GFP to existing natural biological circuits, to implementing completely new systems consisting of many parts.
The goal of synthetic biology is to generate a series of tunable and characterized components or modules through which any ideal synthetic biological circuit can be easily designed and implemented. These circuits can serve as a way to alter cellular function, generate cellular responses to environmental conditions, or influence cellular development. By implementing rational, controllable logic elements in cellular systems, researchers can use living systems as engineered "biological machines" to perform a wide range of useful functions.
[More to come ...]
