Synthetic Biology and Engineering

Guide for Authors Submit to SBE

Synthetic Biology in Therapeutics and Healthcare: Innovations and Applications

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 November 2024.

Guest Editors (4)

Mathias Foo
Dr. Mathias Foo 
School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
Interests: Systems and Synthetic Biology; Dynamical Modelling; Control Design of Biological System
Website: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/people/mathias_foo/
Jiandong Huang
Prof. Jiandong Huang 
School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hongkong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: Synthetic Biology; Intracellular Transportation; Genetic Engineering
Website: https://www.sbms.hku.hk/staff/jiandong-huang
Shuobo Shi
Dr. Shuobo Shi 
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
Interests: Metabolic Engineering; Synthetic Biology
Website: https://www.x-mol.com/groups/shuobo
Masahito Yamagata
Dr. Masahito Yamagata 
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Interests: Neural Circuit Formation; Adhesion Molecule; Extracellular Matrix; Connectomics; Synthetic Biology; Genome Editing; Recombinant Antibodies, Single-cell Transcriptomics
Website: https://masahitoyamagata-english.mystrikingly.com/

Topic Collection Information

Topic Introduction

Synthetic biology is a rapidly evolving field that combines elements of engineering, biology, and AI/computer science to create and modify biological systems with unprecedented precision and control. This special issue aims to showcase the latest advancements in synthetic biology and their applications in therapeutics and healthcare. The collection will cover a broad range of topics, including gene editing technologies, engineered cells and tissues, novel drug delivery systems, microbiome engineering and the development of innovative diagnostic tools. Additionally, the issue will explore the ethical, legal, and social implications of synthetic biology in medicine and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the future of this exciting field. 

Keywords

  • Synthetic Biology
  • Therapeutics
  • Healthcare
  • Gene Editing
  • CRISPR
  • Engineered Cells
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Drug Delivery
  • Diagnostics
  • Ethics
  • Precision Medicine
  • Bioinformatics
  • Biotechnology

 

Published Papers (2 papers)

Review

27 December 2023

Deciphering the Code of Pattern Formation: Integrating In Silico and Wet Lab Approaches in Synthetic Biology

Pattern formation is a fundamental process in biological development, enabling the transformation of initially uniform or random states into spatially ordered structures. A comprehensive understanding of the formation and function of these patterns is crucial for unraveling the underlying principles of biological design and engineering. In recent years, synthetic biology has emerged as a powerful discipline for investigating and manipulating pattern formation in biological systems, involving the design and construction of novel biological components, circuits, and networks with specific functionalities. The integration of computational simulations (in silico) and experimental techniques (wet lab) in synthetic biology has significantly advanced our knowledge of pattern formation and its implications in biological design and engineering. This review provides an overview of the computational simulations employed in studying pattern formation and introduces the representative and cutting-edge experimental methods utilized in wet labs.

Anqi  Xu
Lizhong  Liu
Jian-Dong  Huang*

Review

14 August 2024

Application of Synthetic Biology to the Biosynthesis of Polyketides

Polyketides (PKs) are a large class of secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms and plants, characterized by highly diverse structures and broad biological activities. They have wide market and application prospects in medicine, agriculture, and the food industry. The complex chemical structures and multiple steps of natural polyketides result in yield that cannot be met by purely synthetic methods. With the development of synthetic biology, a number of novel technologies and synthetic strategies have been developed for the efficient synthesis of polyketides. This paper first introduces polyketides from different sources and classifications, then the reconstruction of biosynthetic pathways is described using a “bottom-up” synthetic biology approach. Through methods such as enhancing precursors, relieving feedback inhibition, and dynamic regulation, the efficient production of polyketides is achieved. Finally, the challenges faced by polyketides research and future development directions are discussed.

Xia Chen
Xinying Li
Genlin Zhang*
Chao Wang*
Chun Li*
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