Introduction to Synthetic Biology

This lecture introduces synthetic biology as an emerging engineering discipline dedicated to creating new biological functions efficiently and safely. It covers the goal of turning biology into an engineering discipline, the difference between synthetic and normal biology, and the promise of synthetic biology in various fields such as biotechnology, environment, and human health. The lecture also discusses the challenges of standardization, decoupling biological systems, and the ethical implications of synthetic biology. It concludes with examples of applications in health and the transition from prototypes to systems in synthetic biology.