Institute For The Future

Synthetic Biology 101

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What do you get when you cross a life scientist with an engineer? A synthetic biologist - an engineer of life, designing and building new biological functions you won't find in nature.

Synthetic biology is incredibly new by scientific research standards. It exploded onto the scene in 2002 when researchers at SUNY Stony Brook announced they had created a living, working poliovirus, just by putting all the DNA letters in the right place to synthesize its genome.

Most recently, Craig Venter - called the Lady Gaga of science - was able to create a new form of life by inserting a synthetic genome into a bacteria whose genome had been removed.

In the video above, Andrew Hessel of Singularity University gives a great overview of "hacking genomes and synthetic biology." Hessel is also the founder of a new open source biotechnology cooperative called Pink Army, which aims to use synthetic biology to create individualized therapies for women with breast cancer. 

I remember sitting in my high school biology class in 1994, learning about the basics of DNA and restriction enzymes (molecules that cut DNA). By the time my kids are in high school in 2017, teachers will be talking about genetically engineered machines, virus-powered batteries, genetic/programmable memory, and other sci-fi-sounding inventions. 

Or maybe school will be bypassed entirely and kids will go straight to biohacking.

What do you think of synthetic biology? Comment online @IFTFHealth.