Engineering the future with synthetic biology

Researchers have long worked to decipher the complexity of biological organisms and processes, like decoding a language or reverse-engineering a sophisticated system.

Daniell Tullman–Ercek

While some scientists focus on understanding the fundamental mechanisms of biology, others apply this knowledge to address human needs and challenges in medicine, agriculture, manufacturing and the environment by designing novel biological components and systems that do not exist in nature. Learn more about this innovative field at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting’s symposium on synthetic biology.

The symposium was organized by Danielle Tullman–Ercek, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, and Vatsan Raman, an assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Vatsan Raman

On Sunday, April 13, hear expert talks on using synthetic biology to address human challenges. Speakers will discuss cellular sensors that detect and respond to changes in gene activity as well as engineered genetic control systems that enable dynamic cellular reprogramming. This session will also explore phage-based approaches to eliminate or alter bacteria within complex microbial communities, such as the human gut.

On Monday, April 14, environmental health takes center stage. Talks will cover topics such as manipulating soil microbes to improve plant drought tolerance, engineering minimal synthetic cells containing only essential genes and designing bacterial microcompartments for applications in medicine, materials science and sustainable chemical production.

Finally, on Tuesday, April 15, a dedicated session on enabling technologies will highlight the tools and methodologies driving synthetic biology forward. Speakers will delve into high-throughput approaches for engineering bacteriophages, methods for measuring protein ensemble features to design conformation-shifting proteins and other cutting-edge innovations.

“We are on the cusp of a revolution in engineering biology that will transform biomanufacturing, agriculture, sustainability and medicine,” symposium co-organizer Tullman–Ercek said during a seminar at DePaul University. “The real challenge lies in balancing cost, risk and speed.”

Check out the full program schedule to get the most out of #ASBMB25.