SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY ENCOMPASSES the synthesis or enhancement of complex biological systems to elicit behaviors that do not exist in nature. Synthetic biology promises to introduce new biotherapeutic, bioremediation, biosensing, bioenergy, and biomaterials based solutions to a diverse set of grand challenges. Progress in designing novel biological systems has been hindered primarily by the complexity of biology. Living systems perform a variety of functions including self-replication, cell-to-cell communication, cell division and differentiation into a more specialized collections of cells. In contrast to human-engineered systems, much of the underlying science of biology is still largely a mystery. Every organism is unique and studied under very specific environmental conditions. Extraordinary efforts spanning multiple hierarchical levels are needed to completely characterize and understand every component and reaction in the context of the whole. Despite knowledge gaps, experimentalist utilize their instincts and experiences to engineer biological systems, often through trial and error, and more recently with some assistance from computational tools. Recent achievements include engineered bacteria to treat malaria 1, to invade cancer cells 2, to remove toxins such as herbicides from the environment 3, to produce biofuels such as ethanol and butanol 4, and to develop highly tuned biological sensors 5.
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