Synthetic Biology: Engineering Cells

This lecture introduces synthetic biology as an emerging engineering discipline dedicated to building new biological systems for various applications. It covers the goal of turning biology into an engineering discipline, the difference between synthetic and 'normal' biology, and the promise of tapping into biology's power for biotechnology, environment, and human health. The lecture also discusses the challenges of decoupling engineered systems from native biological systems, the importance of standardization in synthetic biology, and the ethical implications of viewing living organisms as controllable systems. Furthermore, it explores the applications of synthetic biology in health-related fields, such as gene circuit delivery, cell-based therapies, and rare diseases.