From genetic manipulation to revolutionary breakthroughs: The exciting story of Synthetic Biology
iGEM Design League
A competition enabling Latin American students to #DesignWithBiology and propose biology solutions for local problems.
The field of synthetic biology is a rapidly growing and exciting science area that can potentially revolutionize whole industries.
The origins of synthetic biology can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s when scientists first began to manipulate genetic material in the lab.
In 1972, Paul Berg, a biochemist at Stanford University, made a huge breakthrough when he published a paper describing the first successful recombinant DNA experiment. That same year, Har Gobind Khorana completed the total synthesis of a functional gene outside a living organism. This opened new possibilities for scientists to mix DNA from different organisms to create new genetic sequences, opening the doors to developing new biological systems.
Then in 1982, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first human medication produced by a genetically modified organism (GMO). During the 80s and the 90s, prominent scientists like Frances Arnold and Cynthia Breazeal made significant contributions to developing novel enzymes and robots, respectively, using synthetic biology approaches.
Additionally, scientists like George Church and Alejandro Zaffaroni, an Uruguayan biochemist, were instrumental in developing groundbreaking technologies and companies that stimulated the field's growth. In 2003, a group of researchers led by Dr. Jay Keasling successfully engineered a strain of E. coli bacteria to produce a precursor to the anti-malaria drug artemisinin. This was one of the first examples of synthetic biology in action. The term synthetic biology was coined in 1912 by the French chemist Stéphane Leduc. However, only in 2003, was made popular after MIT professor of biological engineering Ron Weiss used it during a lecture at the Santa Fe Institute. Weiss defined synthetic biology as "the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes."
In 2010, Craig Venter and his team created the first synthetic organism at the J. Craig Venter Institute . To create the organism Synthia, they used a computer program to design a bacterial genome, which they then synthesized in the lab and inserted into a cell. The resulting cell was capable of replicating and dividing like a natural cell.
After this, the 2010s saw a tremendous surge in the development of synthetic biology. One of the major milestones was the development of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology, which revolutionized the field and made it much easier and more precise to manipulate DNA sequences. This development led to an explosion of research focused on using CRISPR to edit genes in various organisms, from bacteria to humans. Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier played a significant role in developing CRISPR/Cas9 technology, earning them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.
Another significant advance in synthetic biology during the 2010s was the development of "synthetic gene circuits," which are designed to perform specific functions in living cells. These circuits can be used to control the behavior of cells and to create complex biological systems with many different functions. For example, researchers have used these circuits to develop "living sensors" that can detect environmental pollutants and engineer cells to produce useful products like drugs and biofuels.
In addition to these advances, the 2010s also saw the emergence of "synthetic genomics," a new field focused on synthesizing entire genomes from scratch. This approach could revolutionize genetic engineering and create entirely new organisms.
Since its inception in 2004, iGEM has played a critical role in advancing the field of synthetic biology and inspiring a new generation of scientists and engineers. iGEM's emphasis on open-source sharing of ideas and techniques has led to many exciting innovations in synthetic biology. Now, in Latin America, we have iGEM Design League, which is a program part of iGEM Foundation that aims to help young students in Latin America to kickstart their journey in this exciting field!
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