ESP Biography

If you could program cells to do anything for you, what would you make them do? Sounds like science fiction, but it’s becoming reality. In this class you’ll step into the shoes of a synthetic biologist. We will design genes and genomes from scratch on the computer, learn how to synthesize the DNA we design, and discuss how to get cells to use our designs. In other words, we will rewrite cells’ genetic codes. Scientists are using this powerful new type of genetic engineering for all kinds of problems that haven’t been solved by standard chemistry or engineering: producing biofuels, cleaning up oil spills, synthesizing new antimalarial drugs, making cancer-killing cellular machines, and more. We’ll talk about these current applications and future ones (what would YOU design?), and talk about ethical concerns with the technology. Pre/co-requisite: AP biology.