Session: Emerging Tools and Enabling Technologies in Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering

Synthetic biology applies engineering principles to construct biological systems with unique and useful properties. The process of design and construction of these systems poses major challenges, owing to the complexity of biology. However, emerging tools have enabled the rapid construction of increasingly complex systems with predictable behaviors. This session will cover the development and application of these tools to the diverse topics of synthetic biology. Topics include, but are not limited to, DNA assembly, genetic circuit design and validation, modeling approaches, biomolecular breadboarding, synthetic regulation, cell-cell communication, RNA-based control schemes, and general understanding of biology that stems from design and construction of synthetic systems. Systems will span from in vitro experiments, viruses, and diverse bacteria to eukaryotes (yeast, mammalian cells, and plants). This session will focus particularly on the development of synthetic biology technology and approaches.