Applications of Synthetic Biology Kristala L. J. Prather Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology NSF Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC) Cambridge, MA, USA Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues July 8, 2010

2 Practical Definition of Synthetic Biology “making biology easier to engineer” -- Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC) Applying engineering principles to biological systems –Design –Modeling –Characterization Key enabling technology: DNA synthesis

July 8, Engineering Biology Biological workspace –Microbes –Mammalian cells –Plants –.... Broader applications –Therapeutics (Pharmaceuticals, Biologics) –Energy (esp. Fuels) –Chemicals –Agriculture –….

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Therapeutics University of California, Berkeley Nature (2006)

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Therapeutics ETH Zurich, Switzerland PNAS (2009)

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Fuels University of California, Los Angeles Nature (2008)

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Fuels with the power of synthetic biology.

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Energy - Solar Biology as a template for engineering nanostructures

July 8, Nature Biotechnology (2009) Achievements in Synthetic Biology Chemicals Metabolic Engineering (2010)

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology Biological “Computing”, Programmability Nature (2009) Nature (2000) Nature (2005) The Repressilator Nature (2010) UC San Diego

July 8, Achievements in Synthetic Biology And extending the principles of design and construction to whole organisms Science (2010) – JCVI, Rockville, MD

July 8, Challenges in Synthetic Biology Biology is complex, –and often context-dependent. Synthesis capabilities far exceed design capabilities. –We know how to build, but not yet what to build. Potential benefits are enormous. –Food, Energy, Medicine Potential risks are real. –Technological improvements are not limited to beneficial use.