Synthetic Biology: Technology and Implications

MIT Assistant Professor of Biological Engineering Drew Endy spoke on Synthetic Biology: Technology and Implications. In his speech, Professor Endy stated that "Biology is going through a fundamental transition -- from preexisting, natural, and evolving systems to synthetic, engineered, and disposable systems." He discussed the following points:

1. Examples of what has been accomplished to date, including re-engineered virus genomes, synthetic genetic clocks and cell-cell communications systems, and a gigapixel per square inch bacteria-based photographic film that was made by students in approximately 10 weeks
2. Technology for engineering biology, including gene and genome synthesis, standard biological parts, and an abstraction hierarchy that supports the design of integrated genetic systems, and
3. Some of the social, political, and risk opportunities and pitfalls worth considering as we begin to systematically engineer the living world.