Synthetic biology (SynBio) is the design of new biological parts or systems using engineering principles. It enables programmable cells for medicine, agriculture, and sustainable technology.
SynBioNL
Since December 2021, SynBioNL has been active in encouraging the discourse on Synthetic Biology in the Netherlands. Our mission is to advance relationships between key stakeholders (academia, industry, government, artists to general public) within the synthetic biology community. Check out our overview below on the current scenario of SynBio in the Netherlands and listen to our podcast #BenchTalks where we communicate with everyone related to SynBio!
Synthetic biology (SynBio) is a rapidly growing scientific discipline. In the Netherlands, various universities and companies are tackling a variety of opportunities and challenges within this field. In this perspective article, we review the current synthetic biology landscape in the Netherlands across academia, industry, politics, and society. Mostly supported by governmental funding, academic research is focusing on top-down synthetic biology. The recently founded Dutch synthetic biology association SynBioNL aims to contribute to realizing a positive impact on society by stimulating advances of the field in the Netherlands and beyond.
iGEM
Initiated in 2004, the iGEM competition is an annual, worldwide SynBio event where student teams work to design, build and test their own biological systems during a project of several months. Originally focused on university teams that made contributions to society using SynBio approaches, iGEM has grown into a large community of over 300 teams of university students, high school students, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. Here you can find the projects that I have been involved in over the years as a student or mentor.
Bye-o-film is an interdisciplinary project about an E. coli-based biosensor for early detection of biofilm formation on medical implants. Read more on the website of iGEM Groningen!
Nanobuddy is an interdisciplinary project about protecting chickens from avian influenza. Read more on the website of iGEM Groningen!
SynDerma is the pursuit of Synthetic Dermatology. Read more on the website of iGEM Paris Bettencourt!
PyoMancer are novel antibacterial protein complexes. Read more on the website of iGEM IIT Roorkee!
Star Cores are novel, biologically-synthesized, star-shaped Antimicrobial Peptide (AMP). Star Cores are designed in response to the specific needs of veterinarians, farmers, and policymakers in France. Read more on our website of iGEM Paris Bettencourt!
Publications
Society and synthetic cells: A position paper by the Future Panel on Synthetic Life – European Synthetic Cell Initiative (Participated in the public meeting, May 12, 2022) Download Position paper and Public Meeting report.
A SynBio community comes of age: Political, academical, industrial, and societal developments in the Netherlands. D.K. Bhatt, M.E.Crooijmans, J.Coenradij, A. M. Valero, M.Lubbers, E.Asin-Garcia, N. A.Yewdall, S.D’Adamo, N.J.Claassens, S.Billerbeck (2022), Biotech.Notes. doi: 10.1016/j.biotno.2022.07.004
Comparative analysis of three studies measuring fluorescence from engineered bacterial genetic constructs. Beal J, Baldwin GS, Farny NG, Gershater M, Haddock-Angelli T, et al. and iGEM Interlab Study Contributors (2021), PLOS ONE 16(6): e0252263.
Robust Estimation of Bacterial Cell Count from Optical Density. Beal J, Farny NG, Haddock-Angelli T, Selvarajah V, et al. and iGEM Interlab Study Contributors. 2020, Nat.Comm.Bio.