Engineering biological signaling pathways using synthetic cells (SIGSYNCELL)

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Facing the challenges of the 21st century related to climate, energy and health requires the development of new biotechnologies. Synthetic approaches to biology represent an opportunity for applications where living cells are inefficient or undesired. Yet, 'Only cells can make cells' remains to date an unrefutable fundamental reality and constructing de novo living systems represents the new frontier of biotechnology. The IT industry developed over the years highly complex and integrated microsystems, based on building blocks such as the transistor and fundamental principles of electrodynamics and quantum physics. The analogon for biology must still be unraveled to develop the biotechnologies of the next century. Our aim is to produce life-like systems of synthetic cells which dynamically interact with their environment. We will train Doctoral Candidates to develop a toolbox of building blocks, based upon soft microcompartments, molecular transporters, DNA nanotechnologies, optical technologies and microtechnologies, for the construction and integration of large populations of interacting synthetic cells. Because they are built from scratch with a high-level of functional characterization and control, these cells will allow to unravel fundamental principles of complex living systems, and, at the same time, become form the basis of a new type of biotechnology. This will pave the way for applications of synthetic cells to address the pressing needs of the 21st century, in energy harvesting, biomass and raw matter transformation, bio-remediation and therapeutics. Our network will be based upon interdisciplinarity in research and innovation, and will train the next generation of independent and responsible scientists to address pressing global challenges through the build up of fundamental knowledge and sustainable innovations.