The ability to link systems together such that they behave as predicted once they interact with each other is an essential requirement for the forward-engineering of robust synthetic biological circuits. Unfortunately, because of context-dependencies, parts and functional modules often behave unpredictably once interacting in the cellular environment. This paper reviews recent advances toward establishing a rigorous engineering framework for insulating parts and modules from their context to improve modularity. Overall, a synergy between engineering better parts and higher-level circuit design will be important to resolve the problem of context-dependence.
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