Engineering biological signaling pathways using synthetic cells (SIGSYNCELL)

使用合成细胞工程生物信号通路 (SIGSYNCELL)

• 批准号: EP/Y031326/1
• 负责人: Yuval Elani
• 金额: $ 33.22万
• 依托单位: Imperial College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY031326%2F1
• 关键词: Engineering; biological; signaling; pathways; using

Facing the challenges of the 21st century related to climate, energy and health requires the development of new biotechnologies. Synthetic approaches to biology represent an opportunity for applications where living cells are inefficient or undesired. Yet, 'Only cells can make cells' remains to date an unrefutable fundamental reality and constructing de novo living systems represents the new frontier of biotechnology. The IT industry developed over the years highly complex and integrated microsystems, based on building blocks such as the transistor and fundamental principles of electrodynamics and quantum physics. The analogon for biology must still be unraveled to develop the biotechnologies of the next century. Our aim is to produce life-like systems of synthetic cells which dynamically interact with their environment. We will train Doctoral Candidates to develop a toolbox of building blocks, based upon soft microcompartments, molecular transporters, DNA nanotechnologies, optical technologies and microtechnologies, for the construction and integration of large populations of interacting synthetic cells. Because they are built from scratch with a high-level of functional characterization and control, these cells will allow to unravel fundamental principles of complex living systems, and, at the same time, become form the basis of a new type of biotechnology. This will pave the way for applications of synthetic cells to address the pressing needs of the 21st century, in energy harvesting, biomass and raw matter transformation, bio-remediation and therapeutics. Our network will be based upon interdisciplinarity in research and innovation, and will train the next generation of independent and responsible scientists to address pressing global challenges through the build up of fundamental knowledge and sustainable innovations.

面对与气候，能源和健康有关的21世纪挑战，需要发展新的生物技术。生物学的合成方法代表了活细胞效率低下或不希望的应用的机会。然而，“只有细胞才能使细胞”仍然是迄今为止无法解脱的基本现实，而构建从头生活系统则代表了生物技术的新领域。多年来，IT行业基于诸如电动力学和量子物理学的晶体管和基本原理等基础，发展高度复杂和集成的微型系统。生物学的类似物仍然必须被解开，以发展下个世纪的生物技术。我们的目的是生成类似栩栩如生的合成细胞系统，这些系统与环境动态相互作用。我们将训练博士候选者开发一个基于软的微型室，分子转运蛋白，DNA纳米技术，光学技术和微技术的工具箱，以构建和整合相互作用的合成细胞的大量种群。由于它们是通过高水平的功能表征和控制而从头开始构建的，因此这些细胞将允许揭开复杂生活系统的基本原理，同时又成为一种新型生物技术的基础。这将为合成细胞的应用铺平道路，以满足21世纪的压迫需求，在能量收集，生物量和原始物质转化，生物修复和治疗剂中。我们的网络将基于研究和创新方面的跨学科性，并将培训下一代的独立和负责任的科学家，通过建立基本知识和可持续创新来应对全球挑战。