Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC)

合成生物学是设计和构建新的生物实体 比如酶、基因电路和细胞 或者重新设计现有的生物系统。合成生物学建立在分子、细胞和系统生物学的基础上，并试图以合成改变化学和集成电路设计改变计算的方式改变生物学。就像工程师现在根据已知的材料物理特性设计集成电路，然后制造功能电路和整个处理器（具有相对较高的可靠性）一样，合成生物学家很快就会设计和制造生物实体来完成特定的任务。为了实现这一目标，必须将生物材料的特性（基因序列、蛋白质特性、天然遗传电路设计）制定成一套设计规则，然后才能用于设计新的生物实体。合成生物学工程研究中心（SynBERC）将为合成生物学奠定基础。该研究计划将开发基础理解和技术，以构建生物组件并将其组装成一个集成系统以完成特定任务。该中心的具体目标是：1）开发一个概念框架，用于设计小型生物组件（部件），这些组件可以组装成在特定条件下发挥良好功能的设备，2）开发少量的底盘，（具有已知反应的稳定、健壮的细菌宿主）来宿主工程化装置并组装几个装置以实现更大的愿景或目标，3）为部件和设备的相互作用制定一套标准，以便设备可以更容易和可重复地构建，4）将部件，设备和机箱作为开源提供给其他研究人员和公司，5）了解与合成生物学相关的生物和社会风险，并将其整合到设计过程中。这些目标将通过以下四个重点领域实现：1）部件和部件组成，2）设备和设备组成，3）底盘设计，构造和表征，以及4）合成生物学中的社会问题。两个试验台应用将推动推力的发展。SynBERC将提供一个补充性的教育计划，将1）教育一批能够设计生物组件的新生物工程师，就像电气工程师设计和制造集成电路一样，2）教育公众关于合成生物学的好处和可能的风险，3）教育公共政策学生和政策制定者关于合成生物学的好处和真实的威胁，以及4）教育K-12学生关于科学，工程和合成生物学职业所提供的机会。加上对少数民族机构和当地社区学院和高中的强大推广计划，SynBERC将增加少数民族学生在这一新兴领域的参与，并鼓励高中学生进入这一令人兴奋的新工程领域。合成生物学这门新学科将改变生物技术、高科技、制药和化学工业以及遗传工具供应商和定制DNA合成公司。SynBERC将与这些领域的主要公司合作，邀请他们申请我们的研究项目并提供建议，为本科生和研究生提供实习机会，加快技术转让，并开发SynBERC基金。合成生物学将通过将其他工程领域开发的概念引入生物学而将生物学领域转变为工程学科：易于获得具有标准连接的现成部件和设备;可以组装部件和设备的基底以及设备的电源;基本组件的标准，使其能够随时集成到更大的功能系统中;以及部件、设备和机箱的开源可用性。这些发展将使生物工程更容易和更可预测。SynBERC汇集了许多合成生物学的先驱（来自世界一流机构的生物学家和工程师），共同努力为这一新兴领域奠定基础。合成生物学（由SynBERC催化）将改变生物技术，高科技，制药和化学工业，以及遗传工具和定制DNA合成公司的供应商。SynBERC将培养一批新的合成生物学家和生物工程师，他们能够设计生物部件和有用的生物系统。最后，SynBERC的教育计划将为公众提供合成生物学的一般信息，为公共政策专业人员提供深入的产品，并为K-12学生提供高等教育机会的激励信息。

Project SummarySynthetic biology is the design and construction of new biological entities such as enzymes, genetic circuits, and cells or the redesign of existing biological systems. Synthetic biology builds on advances in molecular, cell, and systems biology and seeks to transform biology in the same way that synthesis transformed chemistry and integrated circuit design transformed computing. Just as engineers now design integrated circuits based on known physical properties of materials and then fabricate functioning circuits and entire processors (with relatively high reliability), synthetic biologists will soon design and fabricate biological entities to accomplish a particular task. To make this happen, biological materials properties (gene sequences, protein properties, natural genetic circuit design) must be formulated into a set of design rules that can then be used to engineer new biological entities.The Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC) will lay the foundation for synthetic biology. The research program will develop the foundational understanding and technologies to build biological components and assemble them into an integrated system to accomplish a particular task. The Center's specific aims are 1) to develop a conceptual framework for designing small biological components (parts) that can be assembled into devices that will perform a well-characterized function under specified conditions, 2) to develop a small number of chasses (stable, robust bacterial hosts with known responses) to host the engineered devices and to assemble several devices to accomplish a larger vision or goal, 3) to develop a set of standards for the interactions of the parts and devices so that the devices can be built more readily and reproducibly, 4) to offer the parts, devices, and chasses as open source to other researchers and companies and 5) understand the biological and societal risks associated with synthetic biology and integrate these into the design process. These objectives will be achieved through four thrust areas in 1) Parts and Part Composition, 2) Devices and Device Composition, 3) Chassis Design, Construction, and Characterization, and 4) Societal Issues in Synthetic Biology. Two testbed applications will drive development of the thrusts. The resulting parts, devices, and chasses will be managed through a distributed web of Registries of Standard Biological Parts.SynBERC will offer a complementary education program that will 1) educate a new cadre of biological engineers capable of designing biological components, just as electrical engineers design and build integrated circuits, 2) educate the general public about the benefits and possible risks of synthetic biology, 3) educate public policy students and policy-makers about the benefits and real threats of synthetic biology, and 4) educate K-12 students about the opportunities offered by careers in science, engineering, and synthetic biology. Coupled with a strong outreach program to minority institutions and local community colleges and high schools, SynBERC will increase the participation of minority students in this emerging area and encourage high-school students to enter this exciting new area of engineering. The new discipline, synthetic biology, will transform the biotechnology, high-technology, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries as well as suppliers of genetic tools and custom DNA synthesis companies. SynBERC will partner with key companies in these sectors to invite applications for and advice on our research program, to provide internships for undergraduate and graduate students, to speed technology transfer, and to develop SynBERC funding.Intellectual merit. Synthetic Biology will transform the field of biology into an engineering discipline by introducing into biology the concepts developed in other fields of engineering: ready access to off-the-shelf parts and devices with standard connections; a substrate onto which one can assemble the parts and devices and a power supply for the devices; standards for the basic components to enable their ready integration into a larger functional system; and open-source availability of parts, devices, and chasses. These developments will make the engineering of biology easier and more predictable. SynBERC brings together many of the pioneers (biologists and engineers from world-class institutions) of synthetic biology to work together to lay the foundation for this nascent field.Broader impacts. Synthetic biology (catalyzed by SynBERC) will transform the biotechnology, high-technology, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, as well as suppliers of genetic tools and custom DNA synthesis companies. SynBERC will educate a new cadre of synthetic biologists and biological engineers capable of designing biological parts and useful biological systems. Finally, SynBERC's education program will provide general information on synthetic biology for the general public, in-depth offerings for public policy professionals, and motivational information on opportunities in higher education for K-12 students.