Description

Microbial cell factories are used at large scale for the production of drugs, food and chemicals. Classically, such organisms were engineered by genetic modification. However, the technology has advanced to the level where we are now able to synthesize and design entire genomes from scratch, which can be introduced into cells to give rise to entirely new life forms. While this creates exciting new opportunities, little is known about the risk when such synthetic DNA is released into the environment. This proposal will help in developing risk assessment procedures and the development of fact-based legislation in order to prevent the spread of foreign DNA in the environment.

• antibiotic resistance
• bioactive molecules
• cell wall
• development & disease
• environmental biotechnology
• horizontal gene transfer
• strain engineering
• synthetic cell

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