Comments on: Biohacking—synthetic biology for the technologically marginalized http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/ Providing a clear perspective on developing science and technology responsibly Mon, 21 May 2012 14:01:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ten emerging technology trends to watch over the next decade | Current Realities of Futuristic Proportion http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-181575 Ten emerging technology trends to watch over the next decade | Current Realities of Futuristic Proportion Wed, 02 May 2012 18:19:22 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-181575 [...] Ten years ago, few people had heard of the term “synthetic biology.”  Now, scientists are able to synthesize the genome of a new organism from scratch, and are on the brink of using it to create a living bacteria.  Synthetic biology is about taking control of DNA – the genetic code of life – and engineering it, much in the same way a computer programmer engineers digital code.  It’s arisen in part as the cost of reading and synthesizing DNA sequences has plummeted.  But it is also being driven by scientists and engineers  who believe that living systems can be engineered in the same way as other systems.  In many ways, synthetic biology represents the digitization of biology.  We can now “upload” genetic sequences into a computer, where they can be manipulated like any other digital data.  But we can also “download” them back into reality when we have finished playing with them – creating new genetic code to be inserted into existing – or entirely new – organisms.  This is still expensive, and not as simple as many people would like to believe – we’re really just scratching the surface of the rules that govern how genetic code works.  But as the cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis continues to fall, expect to see the field advance in huge leaps and bounds over the next decade.  I’m not that optimistic about us cracking how the genetic code works in great detail by 2020 – the more we learn at the moment, the more we realize we don’t know.  However, I have no doubt that what we do learn will be enough to ensure synthetic biology is a hot topic over the next decade.  In particular, look out for synthesis of the first artificial organism, the development and use of “BioBricks” – the biological equivalent of electronic components – and the rise of DIY-biotechnology. [...] [...] Ten years ago, few people had heard of the term “synthetic biology.”  Now, scientists are able to synthesize the genome of a new organism from scratch, and are on the brink of using it to create a living bacteria.  Synthetic biology is about taking control of DNA – the genetic code of life – and engineering it, much in the same way a computer programmer engineers digital code.  It’s arisen in part as the cost of reading and synthesizing DNA sequences has plummeted.  But it is also being driven by scientists and engineers  who believe that living systems can be engineered in the same way as other systems.  In many ways, synthetic biology represents the digitization of biology.  We can now “upload” genetic sequences into a computer, where they can be manipulated like any other digital data.  But we can also “download” them back into reality when we have finished playing with them – creating new genetic code to be inserted into existing – or entirely new – organisms.  This is still expensive, and not as simple as many people would like to believe – we’re really just scratching the surface of the rules that govern how genetic code works.  But as the cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis continues to fall, expect to see the field advance in huge leaps and bounds over the next decade.  I’m not that optimistic about us cracking how the genetic code works in great detail by 2020 – the more we learn at the moment, the more we realize we don’t know.  However, I have no doubt that what we do learn will be enough to ensure synthetic biology is a hot topic over the next decade.  In particular, look out for synthesis of the first artificial organism, the development and use of “BioBricks” – the biological equivalent of electronic components – and the rise of DIY-biotechnology. [...]

]]> By: Ten emerging technology trends to watch over the next decade http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-47593 Ten emerging technology trends to watch over the next decade Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:06:00 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-47593 [...] Ten years ago, few people had heard of the term “synthetic biology.”  Now, scientists are able to synthesize the genome of a new organism from scratch, and are on the brink of using it to create a living bacteria.  Synthetic biology is about taking control of DNA – the genetic code of life – and engineering it, much in the same way a computer programmer engineers digital code.  It’s arisen in part as the cost of reading and synthesizing DNA sequences has plummeted.  But it is also being driven by scientists and engineers  who believe that living systems can be engineered in the same way as other systems.  In many ways, synthetic biology represents the digitization of biology.  We can now “upload” genetic sequences into a computer, where they can be manipulated like any other digital data.  But we can also “download” them back into reality when we have finished playing with them – creating new genetic code to be inserted into existing – or entirely new – organisms.  This is still expensive, and not as simple as many people would like to believe – we’re really just scratching the surface of the rules that govern how genetic code works.  But as the cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis continues to fall, expect to see the field advance in huge leaps and bounds over the next decade.  I’m not that optimistic about us cracking how the genetic code works in great detail by 2020 – the more we learn at the moment, the more we realize we don’t know.  However, I have no doubt that what we do learn will be enough to ensure synthetic biology is a hot topic over the next decade.  In particular, look out for synthesis of the first artificial organism, the development and use of “BioBricks” – the biological equivalent of electronic components – and the rise of DIY-biotechnology. [...] [...] Ten years ago, few people had heard of the term “synthetic biology.”  Now, scientists are able to synthesize the genome of a new organism from scratch, and are on the brink of using it to create a living bacteria.  Synthetic biology is about taking control of DNA – the genetic code of life – and engineering it, much in the same way a computer programmer engineers digital code.  It’s arisen in part as the cost of reading and synthesizing DNA sequences has plummeted.  But it is also being driven by scientists and engineers  who believe that living systems can be engineered in the same way as other systems.  In many ways, synthetic biology represents the digitization of biology.  We can now “upload” genetic sequences into a computer, where they can be manipulated like any other digital data.  But we can also “download” them back into reality when we have finished playing with them – creating new genetic code to be inserted into existing – or entirely new – organisms.  This is still expensive, and not as simple as many people would like to believe – we’re really just scratching the surface of the rules that govern how genetic code works.  But as the cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis continues to fall, expect to see the field advance in huge leaps and bounds over the next decade.  I’m not that optimistic about us cracking how the genetic code works in great detail by 2020 – the more we learn at the moment, the more we realize we don’t know.  However, I have no doubt that what we do learn will be enough to ensure synthetic biology is a hot topic over the next decade.  In particular, look out for synthesis of the first artificial organism, the development and use of “BioBricks” – the biological equivalent of electronic components – and the rise of DIY-biotechnology. [...]

]]> By: Andrew Maynard http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-42301 Andrew Maynard Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:43:12 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-42301 Thanks Jeff, I've always been uneasy about the Frankenstein metaphor - it always seems to play to the crowd rather while being disingenuous to whatever science and technology is being alluded to. But I guess it's only a matter of time before we have headlines on FrankenBugs, FrankenBacteria, and every other combination you can imagine! Hope you saw the more up to date posts on synbio - including my speculations on tech to watch in the 2010's: http://2020science.org/2009/12/25/ten-emerging-technology-trends-to-watch/ Thanks Jeff,

I’ve always been uneasy about the Frankenstein metaphor – it always seems to play to the crowd rather while being disingenuous to whatever science and technology is being alluded to. But I guess it’s only a matter of time before we have headlines on FrankenBugs, FrankenBacteria, and every other combination you can imagine!

Hope you saw the more up to date posts on synbio – including my speculations on tech to watch in the 2010′s: http://2020science.org/2009/12/25/ten-emerging-technology-trends-to-watch/

]]> By: Jeff Milam http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-42296 Jeff Milam Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:20:31 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-42296 This is a great post, and I appreciate all of the links! It is fascinating to think of this like the silicon valley boom and, agreed, somewhat frightening. Did you purposefully avoid the obvious Frankenstein metaphors? I give it five years before we see the first "14 year old creates super-virus" movie script. And, personally, I can't wait! Thanks for your coverage, I will be checking back. This is a great post, and I appreciate all of the links!

It is fascinating to think of this like the silicon valley boom and, agreed, somewhat frightening. Did you purposefully avoid the obvious Frankenstein metaphors? I give it five years before we see the first “14 year old creates super-virus” movie script. And, personally, I can’t wait! Thanks for your coverage, I will be checking back.

]]> By: A cautious thumbs up for synthetic biology from the UK public http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-14847 A cautious thumbs up for synthetic biology from the UK public Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:26:46 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-14847 [...] biology practiced by amateurs outside the confines and constraints of established organizations—garage biotech—is a bad thing, and should be [...] [...] biology practiced by amateurs outside the confines and constraints of established organizations—garage biotech—is a bad thing, and should be [...]

]]> By: Are we ready for synthetic biology? http://2020science.org/2008/12/26/biohacking-synthetic-biology-for-the-technologically-marginalized/#comment-2233 Are we ready for synthetic biology? Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:01:49 +0000 http://2020science.org/?p=626#comment-2233 [...] Cambridge Massachusetts, amateur biologists are scoring cheap laboratory equipment off eBay and Craigs List, and constructing their own [...] [...] Cambridge Massachusetts, amateur biologists are scoring cheap laboratory equipment off eBay and Craigs List, and constructing their own [...]

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