Synthetic Biology - A Possible Future Niche

[ralfcubic]

There are constant strives and innovations going on in the medical world. One of the latest ideas is synthetic biology, which is quite a scientific subject matter. Some of the top scientists in the field are still a little unsure of exactly how synthetic biology will work, but it is not stopping the medical field from advancing in the field. Simply put, synthetic biology is the process of shuffling genes around in order to make human cells from scratch without actually using any natural cells.

It is thought that this type of biology can be used to make T-cells, which may be able to fight cancers and other diseases which are typically incurable. There is of course controversy over making human cells out of non human materials. There is the argument that it is an unnatural process and that it should not be attempted even if it does have its benefits. It are the benefits however that scientists and other medical professionals are fighting for. Some countries have even gone as far as banning synthetic biology because they are afraid of the technology falling into the wrong hands.

At this point in time, the studies are only studies and nothing concrete has been invented or implemented. Even though synthetic cells have been created in labs, these cells have not been used in any current medical treatments. It could be years or even decades before the public would see any benefit from the study of synthetic biology, but this is a direction that medicine is keeping an eye out for.

There are several medical advance niches out there and this is just one of the newer studies happening. If synthetic biology does become a reality, it would be interesting to see what illnesses and diseases it could treat and cure.

[jevg]

Simply put, synthetic biology is the process of shuffling genes around in order to make human cells from scratch without actually using any natural cells.

This is a very interesting subject and has attracted a lot of attention recently mainly as a result of the J Craig Venter Institute’s success in developing a synthetic genome in the lab.

Their press release in part states
“The team synthesized the 1.08 million base pair chromosome of a modified Mycoplasma mycoides genome. The synthetic cell is called Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1.0 and is the proof of principle that genomes can be designed in the computer, chemically made in the laboratory and transplanted into a recipient cell to produce a new self-replicating cell controlled only by the synthetic genome.”
http://www.jcvi.org/cms/press/press-rel ... esearcher/

It is worth noting that it is not the cell that has been produced but a chromosome that has been synthesized and inserted into an already existing cell.

The genome is in itself inert and only becomes operational when the existing cell and it’s mechanisms use it.

This is not creating a cell. It is modifying an existing cell.