Building hybrid devices powered by cell-free synthetic biology

每天，我们都被分子相互作用的世界所包围，这些分子相互作用调节着我们的安全、福祉和环境的完整性。诊断和便携式传感器可用于检测这些不可见的过程。虽然目前的传感器技术存在，但它们的发展受到速度慢和成本高的负担。这些限制意味着在实验室环境之外，许多传感需求无法得到满足。合成生物学以其合理的设计方法，为满足这些需求提供了令人难以置信的潜力，我们的研究计划是第一个解决提供这些工具的关键挑战的项目。合成生物学涉及基于生物部件的设备的设计和构造。在我们的工作中，基因被改造成生物传感器，可以检测重金属、杀虫剂和疾病等物质。这些基因电路通常在细胞内运行，例如细菌，但由于对生物安全的担忧，这限制了它们在实验室中的使用。我们的研究项目创造了第一种以安全和无细胞的方式部署这些基于基因的工具的方法。我们已经通过开发无菌的纸基材料来实现这一点，这些材料可以在细胞中站立，并且在这样做的过程中，我们创造了一种新的便携式传感器技术。通过运用合成生物学的工程原理，我们正在创造创新的无细胞生物技术，大大降低传感器开发的成本和技术障碍。这将使传感器能够集成到工业、国家安全、农业和家庭中尚未服务的应用中。在我们目前的工作中，我们正在扩展我们的传感器技术，使其更加实用和具有成本效益，并开发工具来加速研究。通过这些努力，我们的研究计划旨在提高加拿大人的生活质量，培养下一代合成生物学家，并为加拿大生物技术部门的发展创造机会。

Every day, we are surrounded by a world of molecular interactions that mediate our safety, well-being and the integrity of our environment. Diagnostics and portable sensors can be used to detect these otherwise invisible processes. While current sensor technologies exist, their development is burdened by slow rates and high cost. These limitations mean that outside of laboratory settings, many sensing needs are not being met. Synthetic biology, with its rational approach to design, offers an incredible potential to meet these needs and our research program is the first to solve key challenges in delivering these tools.***Synthetic biology involves the design and construction of devices based on biological parts. In our work, genes are engineered to serve as bio-based sensors that can detect agents such as heavy metals, pesticides and disease. These gene circuits usually operate inside cells, such as bacteria, however this limits their use to the laboratory because of concerns over biosafety. Our research program created the first way to deploy these gene-based tools in a safe and cell-free way. We have done this by developing sterile paper-based materials that can stand in place for the cell, and in doing so we have created a new portable sensor technology.***By bringing the engineering principles of synthetic biology to bear, we are creating innovative cell-free biotechnologies that significantly lower the cost and technical barriers of sensor development. This will allow sensors to be integrated into applications in industry, national security, agriculture and at home that have yet to be served. In our current work we are extending our sensor technology to make it more practical and cost-effective, and developing tools to accelerate research. Through these efforts, our research program is designed to improve the quality of life for Canadians, train the next generation of synthetic biologists and create opportunities to grow the biotechnology sector in Canada.**