Topic description and stories

New legal tool aims to increase openness, sharing and innovation in global biotechnology

11 Oct 2018

A new easy-to-use legal tool that enables exchange of biological material between research institutes and companies launches today.

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Report highlights opportunities and risks associated with synthetic biology and bioengineering

21 Nov 2017

Human genome editing, 3D-printed replacement organs and artificial photosynthesis – the field of bioengineering offers great promise for tackling the...

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Marchantia - a primitive plant form used as the 'chassis' for designing new plants

From foundry to factory: building synthetic plants

20 Jun 2014

A movement is under way that will fast-forward the design of new plant traits. It takes inspiration from engineering and the software industry, and...

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OpenPlant - major boost for synthetic biology

30 Jan 2014

Inspired by the way open source data has stimulated innovation in computing, a new UK centre will create a climate of openness in synthetic biology...

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Big Data, Cardiovascular Disease, Public Policy and Synthetic Biology: new Strategic Research Initiatives

27 Nov 2013

Four new targets have been added to the University of Cambridge’s Strategic Research Initiative program, which fosters multi-disciplinary...

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The DNA nanopore (in blue) is a tube formed of folded strands of DNA. The porphyrin anchors, in red, anchor it securely between the two layers of the cell membrane (in grey), which is shown in cross-section.

Designer piercings

07 Nov 2013

A new method which streamlines the design and construction of synthetic membrane pores could improve a range of scientific processes, including...

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Fractal patterns spontaneously emerge during bacterial cell growth

11 Jun 2013

Scientists discover highly asymmetric and branched patterns are the result of physical forces and local instabilities; research has important...

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Root of Arabidopsis thaliana with green fluorescent protein decorating cell membrane and red fluorescent protein marking nuclei.

Lighting up plant cells to engineer biology

05 Apr 2012

Cambridge researchers have developed a new technique for measuring and mapping gene and cell activity through fluorescence in living plant tissue.

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plant image

Synthetic biology takes root

01 Sep 2008

Creating circuits from multiple components is routine in engineering. Can living systems be constructed using similar principles?

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