Minimizing a Bacterial Genome by Global Design and Synthesis
In 2010, we chemically synthesized the 1078 Kb Mycoplasma mycoides genome and transplanted it into a recipient cell cytoplasm to create a 'synthetic cell', JCVI-syn1.0 (Science, 329, 52-56, 2010). We identified several hundred non-essential genes by ....
More details | Watch nowMolecules Against Cancer or for Long-Term Memory Storage
For cancer diagnosis and therapy, we are developing activatable cell penetrating peptides (ACPPs), synthetic molecules with a novel amplifying mechanism for homing to diseased tissues. ACPPs are polycationic cell penetrating peptides whose cellular u....
More details | Watch nowHow to Synthesize a Wide Variety of Optically Active Compounds with >99% Optical Purity
The discovery and synthetic applications of a widely applicable and highly enantioselective (>99% ee) protocol consisting of the 'ZACA reaction' (Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes), purification of the ZACA-products by lipase-cat....
More details | Watch nowMolecules Against Cancer or for Long-Term Memory Storage
For cancer diagnosis and therapy, we are developing activatable cell-penetrating peptides (ACPPs), synthetic molecules with a novel amplifying mechanism for homing to diseased tissues. ACPPs are polycationic cell-penetrating peptides whose cellular ....
More details | Watch nowSynthetic Biology for Genetic Engineering in the 21st Century
Synthetic biologists seek to design, build, and test novel biological systems. We have chemically synthesized a bacterial genome (Mycoplsama mycoides, 1078Kb) and brought it to life by transplantation into the cytoplasm of a related species. We are....
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Much of the chemical industry is based on processes that were developed decades ago. The change in the cost of petroleum carbon and energy sources and the need to control emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants will change the rules of the....
More details | Watch nowCreating Artificial Magnetic Fields to Act on Neutral Atoms
Cold, quantum degenerate gases of neutral atoms have proved to be useful in simulating the behavior of quantum systems like electrons in solids. For example, cold atoms moving in optical lattices (periodic potentials created by interfering laser be....
More details | Watch nowMaking the tiniest machines
Over the past few years some of the first examples of synthetic molecular level machines and motors Ñ all be they primitive by biological standards Ñhave been developed. These molecules respond to light, chemical and electrical stimuli, inducing mo....
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In the 21st century, even the toughest of metals are now being replaced by synthetic carbon-based materials that are so strong, light, and resistant to high temperatures that they can be used in the construction of high-performance aircraft. How....
More details | Watch nowExtracting value from waste through a little chemistry with U
Uranium is one of the most famous, or perhaps infamous elements. It is the heaviest naturally occurring element, and sits amongst the metals at the bottom of the periodic table that fill their f-orbitals with electrons. Uranium and its oxides come in....
More details | Watch nowTissue Engineering
Mariah Michael discusses the burgeoning field of tissue engineering and the research being done at Wake Forest University under Dr. Anthony Atala. Each year, thousands of patients die while waiting for an organ transplant. With this technology, patie....
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