Using a synthetic biology approach to engineer urban water system biofilms

“合成生物学旨在设计和设计基于生物的部件、新设备和系统，以及重新设计现有的自然生物系统”(皇家工程院(2009))“合成生物学：范围、应用和影响”。ISBN：1-903496-44-6)。这项令人兴奋的新兴技术在很大程度上旨在为制造业、医疗保健和能源行业的挑战提供解决方案。合成生物学提供了令人兴奋的新的可能性，通过提供新的基于生物的解决方案来应对全球水挑战，有可能改变水行业。然而，很少有人关注开发合成生物学解决方案来应对城市水系统的挑战，如提高性能、改善水质和节能。目前在水领域的合成生物学活动倾向于解决具体的研究挑战(例如生物传感器、生物海水淡化、微生物燃料电池)，尚未转化为实验室规模以外的应用。缺少的是一个经过验证的合成生物学主导的解决方案，它不仅解决了在城市水环境中部署这种解决方案的技术挑战，而且还让适当的利益攸关方参与解决和辩论有关治理、可接受性和风险的关切。聪明的想法就是提供这样一个例子。在这里，使用合成生物学的方法来设计和设计城市水系统生物膜，将它们目前的负面形象转化为积极的资源。更具体地说，将设计和测试一种工程生物膜，以减少摩擦损失和修复墙壁缺陷，以增加水力能力，并减少下水道内的入/出过滤。这将在不同工程规模的受控城市水环境中实现。除了解决在复杂环境中设计具有所需特征的生物膜的技术挑战外，还将通过各种利益攸关方的参与和重点讲习班讨论社会问题和影响。因此，该项目将提供一种以合成生物为主导的解决方案，以提高下水道网络的性能，并为研究在城市水环境中部署该解决方案所面临的翻译和实施挑战提供基础。该项目还将为总部设在英国的研究中心提供基础，该中心专注于城市水挑战，确保与适当的利益相关者有效参与和沟通，以确定研究重点，并提供现在和未来的合成生物学解决方案。

"Synthetic biology aims to design and engineer biologically based parts, novel devices and systems as well as redesigning existing, natural biological systems" (The Royal Academy of Engineering (2009) Synthetic Biology: scope, applications and implications. ISBN:1-903496-44-6). This exciting and emerging technology is largely directed at providing solutions for challenges within the manufacturing, healthcare and energy sectors. Synthetic biology offers exciting and new possibilities that have the potential to transform the water industry by offering new biologically based solutions to address global water challenges. However little attention has been directed at developing synthetic biology solutions to address urban water systems challenges such as increased performance, enhanced water quality and energy saving. Current synthetic biology activities in the water arena tend to address specific research challenges (e.g. biosensors, biodesalination, microbial fuel cells) and are yet to be translated to application beyond the laboratory scale. What is missing is a demonstrated synthetic biology led solution that not only addresses the technical challenges of deploying such a solution within the urban water environment, but also engages the appropriate stakeholders to address and debate concerns over governance, acceptability and risk. The bright IDEA is to provide such an example. Here, a synthetic biology approach is used to design and engineer urban water system biofilms, transforming their current negative image into a positive resource. More specifically, an engineered biofilm will be designed and tested to reduce frictional losses and repair wall defects to increase hydraulic capacity and reduce in/ex filtration within sewers. This will be achieved within a controlled urban water environment at different engineering scales. As well as addressing the technical challenges of engineering biofilms with desired characteristics, within a complex environment, the social issues and implications will also be discussed through various stakeholder engagements and a focused workshop. This project will therefore provide a synthetic biology led solution for increasing performance within sewer networks, and provide the basis to investigate the translation and implementation challenges for deploying the solution within the urban water environment. This project will also provide the foundation for UK based research centre focused on urban water challenges that ensures effective engagement and communication with the appropriate stakeholders to set the research priorities and deliver synthetic biology solutions both now and in the future.