Synthetic Biology: Therapeutic Advancement

This lecture introduces the field of synthetic biology applied to therapeutic advancement, focusing on the discovery and control of molecular targets for disease treatment. Topics include RNA therapeutics, nucleic-acid-based riboswitches, and programmable RNA targeting. The lecture covers the impact of synthetic biology on modern medicine, including drug discovery, treatment delivery, and drug production. Case examples discuss the use of synthetic genetic switches and gene circuits for drug screening and delivery. The lecture also explores RNA interference pathways, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and the lac operon as a genetic self-regulatory mechanism. Students will learn about cutting-edge technologies and concepts in the field of synthetic biology.