Title: SynBERC Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center
1SynBERC A center-based approach to the
engineering of biology
- Research thrusts
- Parts
- Genetically encoded entity with basic biological
function (e.g., a ribosome binding site,
transcription terminator, phosphorylation motif) - Devices
- Collections of parts that perform one or more
intended functions (e.g., Boolean logic
operation, a feedback control loop, chemical
transformation) - Key components include specifying device
families device-device carrier signals standard
experimental methods for device modeling and
characterization - Chassis
- Naïve cellular power supplies and chassis that
can be used to sustain the proper operation of a
synthetic biological system - Systems engineers focus on system design, and
cell engineers focus on the design of cells as
power supplies and chassis
- Testbeds
- Research thrusts are driven in large part by
SynBERCs three science testbeds, which serve to
demonstrate the utility of synthetic biology and
the tools constructed in our thrusts -
- Testbed 1 Construction of a bacterium to swim
to a chemical or biological agent and destroy it
(e.g. tumor-killing bacterium) -
- Testbed 2 Microbial synthesis of natural and
unnatural organic compounds - Reconstruction of plant alkaloid pathways in
microbes - De novo design of biosynthetic pathways
-
- Testbed 3 Development of a bacterium to produce
cheap biofuels from biomass -
Vision SynBERC is a multi-institution research
effort to help lay the foundation for synthetic
biology. Just as technicians now assemble
standardized, off-the-shelf electronic components
to build computers, synthetic biologists
anticipate the ability to assemble
well-characterized biological components into
robust host organisms to achieve specific
functions. SynBERC aims to provide the tools and
techniques to help designers easily and
predictably reprogram existing systems, and
reduce the prohibitively high costs and long
development times of conventional biological
approaches.
The underlying goal of our research is not just
to deliver systems that fulfill these testbed
applications, but rather to develop the
foundational infrastructure that is needed to
make routine the design and construction of any
engineered biological system.
- Web of registries
- Based on MIT Registry of Standard Biological
Parts (parts.mit.edu) - Well-characterized, community-rated, standard
parts - Distributed, coordinated access to banked parts
- All parts available to industrial participants
community
core members
partners
- Education outreach
- SynBERC develops modular online curricula and
training materials for all student levels - The International Genetically Engineered Machine
Competition (iGEM) is the flagship education
program of SynBERC. Undergraduate students use
and create Registry parts to learn how to design
and execute a synthetic biology project over the
course of a summer. - Human Practices educates citizens and
policymakers about the benefits and threats
synthetic biology - SynBERC provides industry-sponsored summer
internships in industrial labs, in partnership
with QB3 and SynBERC alliance members
- Tech transfer industry
- SynBERC emphasizes industrial collaborations and
technology transfer through its Industry Alliance
Program, which aims to accelerate the commercial
use of biology as an engineering science.
Industry benefits can include - Close interaction and joint projects with SynBERC
faculty and students - Access to unpublished research results and
SynBERC publications - Joint submittal of SBIR/STTR proposals and
potential university fund matching - Opportunity to sponsor dedicated research
projects with SynBERC Faculty -
iGEM
www.synberc.org