Thread by @Biotech2k1

What is #SynBio

Synthetic Biology requires many sciences. Its about taking a cell, whether it be a yeast cell, a bacteria or a human cell, and reprogramming it to create life with completely new functions.

1/ With synthetic biology, we treat the DNA as if it were the software that runs a cell. If we rewrite that program, we can make the cell do anything we want. It requires vast knowledge of how DNA works and how cells signal and respond to signals from the environment.

2/ This treats the Cell signaling like the inputs or outputs on your phone. You input data by typing on the keyboard. You get outputs from Youtube when you play a video. In the same way, we can recode the DNA of cell to respond to and output the signals we want.

3/ The final part of synthetic biology is the chemistry. It takes extensive chemistry expertise to do synthetic biology. Cells take in nutrition like sugar, amino acids, oxygen or even carbon dioxide.

4/ The cell uses chemistry to create reactions in the cell to turn those products into new products. By understanding the Genetics, Signaling and Chemistry around cells, we can engineer cells to perform any functions we desire.

5/ We can create bacteria or yeast cells that ferment insulin to treat diabetes. We can use a bacteria or yeast to create fragrances or tastes for products. These are some of the simple things we started doing with synthetic biology.

6/ We can take the Genome of a bacteria and insert the gene for human Factor 8 or 9 and have it produce endless supplies of that protein for use in treating Hemophilia.

7/ As the science grows, we can go more in depth in how we engineer these cells. One of the most complex uses of synthetic biology is in human cells. We engineer immune cells like T cells or NK cells with a vast array of function to fight cancer.

8/ That's right. CAR-T and CAR-NK cells that are engineered to fight cancer are under synthetic biology. As the technology evolves the potential becomes endless. We can create bacteria for in the soil which produces nitrogen for crops.

9/ We can engineer cells that take CO2 from the environment and clean it like plants to with photosynthesis. Here are a few companies I follow that are engineering cells.

10/ $DNA is using its labs and technology to design and develop cells for other companies. This becomes a biology as a service company. Not every company has the capabilities to design cells for their needs.

11/ A company might just want a sustainable way to produce a fragrance for a perfume. They can hire $DNA to design and develop a yeast cell that makes a sustainable source of that fragrance.

12/ As the company and the science grows so will the applications. The next example is $SANA which is developing stem cell technologies to replace human cells as therapies. They can be immune cells for combatting cancer or islet cells to produce insulin for diabetics.

13/ There could come a day when we are able to combine Synthetic Biology, Cell Engineering and CRISPR technology to grow entire organs for transplants. Someday we maybe be our own organ donor.

14/ A simple skin cell can be backward engineered into a stem cell then developed down the path of growth using combinations of growth factors and gene editing. They might someday grow organs in a lab for transplant.

15/ The possibilities for Synthetic Biology are only limited by our imagination. We already have the technological tools to rewrite the genetic code of organisms.

16/ With this power then comes responsibility. Not ever person who creates new life using cell engineering will do so for the greater good. That is where Biosecurity will be important.

17/ We can engineer bacteria that go into the water and turn colors when they come in contact with pathogens or chemicals that might harm us. In the same way we can build new systems to detect pathogens in the air or water.