Engineering Biology Objectives & Technical Achievements
Characterize, engineer, and manipulate different microbiota throughout the body for health purposes.
Engineering DNA | Biomolecular Engineering | Host Engineering | Data Science |
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Re-code microbial genomes/chromosomes. Targeted gene editing systems for specific microbes or cell types. |
Engineer enzymes to enhance or alter metabolism. Engineer secretion systems for in vivo delivery of therapeutics from microbes. |
Rationally design and engineer microbial cells and communities. Achieve short- and long-term, predictable tuning of the microbiome to deliver therapeutics, add functions and enzymes, and remove organisms. |
Advanced modeling of interactions between microbes within the microbiota and their host. Ecological models that incorporate changes in host, microbes, and the local environment (more specifically, the location in gastrointestinal tract, in the skin, etc.), and enable prediction of therapeutic approach. Develop models that focus on function (enzymes, pathways) to diagnose and predict dysbiosis. Employ statistically rigorous models to differentiate correlation and causation with respect to changes in the microbiome, as correlations are still valuable for diagnostics but therapies and interventions should be focused where there is a causative or clearly functional link. |
Create cell-autonomous genetic circuits to drive tissue formation and repair.
Engineering DNA | Biomolecular Engineering | Host Engineering | Data Science |
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Achieve stable expression from synthetic transgenes. |
Engineer macromolecules with predictable, robust, orthogonal dynamic behavior that demonstrate no unintended cross-interaction with other factors. Engineer libraries of synthetic, orthogonal cell-communication mechanisms, including short-range communication (receptors) and long-range communication (morphogens). |
Engineer mechanisms to coordinate behavior of single cells in a population and interaction with the host (i.e., patient). Customize the function and number of major cellular features, including cell surface proteins, the cytoskeleton, organelles, and chromosomes. |
Rapid single-cell -omics pipelines to understand the molecular and cellular recipes in development and tissue formation. |
Engineer immune cell-based therapies.
Engineering DNA | Biomolecular Engineering | Host Engineering | Data Science |
---|---|---|---|
Improve parallel and precise genome editing in primary immune cells. |
Improve biosensor and genetic circuit designs to improve specificity, efficacy, and safety. |
Engineer mechanisms to coordinate behavior of single cells and their interaction with the human host. |
Increase the reliability of predicting protein, pathway, and circuit function from sequences to enable better biosensor, receptor, and genetic circuit designs. |
Enable biocompatible allo- and xeno-transplant and implantation of synthetic or engineered (including “printed”) tissues/organs.
Engineering DNA | Biomolecular Engineering | Host Engineering | Data Science |
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Improve parallel and precise genome editing in recipient’s immune system to establish or increase tolerance to the donor tissue/organs and immunize against cross-species disease transmission. Improve parallel and precise genome editing in donor animals to reduce or remove immunogenicity and cross-species disease transmission. |
Develop biosensors for identifying xenoreactive immune cells. Engineer libraries of synthetic, orthogonal cell-communication mechanisms, including short-range communication (receptors) and long-range communication (morphogens). Enable production of synthetic and engineered bioscaffolds for tissue regeneration. |
Engineer the recipient’s immune system to be specifically tolerant of the implant without excessive immune suppression. |
Advanced modeling of interactions between implant/transplant and the host. Rapid single-cell -omics pipelines to understand the molecular and cellular characteristics of development and tissue formation. |