CHE.496/2008/Schedule/Biological machines

Biological machines

 * '''Discussion leader: George M.


 * '''Designing biological systems link
 * We will discuss this article at a later date since I accidentally provided the link to a powerpoint presentation and not the intended article.


 * '''Biology by design: Reduction and synthesis of cellular components and behavior link
 * Dr. You et al have presented a very comprehensive but tight summary of the current state of the field of synthetic biology in this article. It's probably my favorite synthetic biology review, covering the inspiration/motivation behind the technology, the defining characteristics of the field, foundational technologies (e.g., DNA synthesis), and areas of applications including natural product synthesis (green chemistry), therapeutics, etc.  It also provides a balanced perspective on the outlook of synthetic biology, describing the pros and cons, the promises and limitations.
 * However, the most valuable and unique information provided in this article is the advice on how to design a biological system. This is priceless information and should be critically reviewed (see Box 1).