Research

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Synthetic Biology underpins advances in the bioeconomy

Biological systems - including the simplest cells - exhibit a broad range of functions to thrive in their environment. Research in the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology is focused on the possibility of engineering the underlying biochemical processes to solve many of the challenges facing society, from healthcare to sustainable energy. In particular, we model, analyse, design and build biological and biochemical systems in living cells and/or in cell extracts, both exploring and enhancing the engineering potential of biology. 

As part of our research we develop novel methods to accelerate the celebrated Design-Build-Test-Learn synthetic biology cycle. As such research in the Centre for Synthetic Biology highly multi- and interdisciplinary covering computational modelling and machine learning approaches; automated platform development and genetic circuit engineering ; multi-cellular and multi-organismal interactions, including gene drive and genome engineering; metabolic engineering; in vitro/cell-free synthetic biology; engineered phages and directed evolution; and biomimetics, biomaterials and biological engineering.

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Wen:2017:10.1021/acssynbio.7b00219,
author = {Wen, KY and Cameron, L and Chappell, J and Jensen, K and Bell, DJ and Kelwick, R and Kopniczky, M and Davies, JC and Filloux, A and Freemont, PS},
doi = {10.1021/acssynbio.7b00219},
journal = {ACS Synthetic Biology},
pages = {2293--2301},
title = {A Cell-Free Biosensor for Detecting Quorum Sensing Molecules in P. aeruginosa-Infected Respiratory Samples.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.7b00219},
volume = {6},
year = {2017}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Synthetic biology designed cell-free biosensors are a promising new tool for the detection of clinically relevant biomarkers in infectious diseases. Here, we report that a modular DNA-encoded biosensor in cell-free protein expression systems can be used to measure a bacterial biomarker of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from human sputum samples. By optimizing the cell-free system and sample extraction, we demonstrate that the quorum sensing molecule 3-oxo-C12-HSL in sputum samples from cystic fibrosis lungs can be quantitatively measured at nanomolar levels using our cell-free biosensor system, and is comparable to LC-MS measurements of the same samples. This study further illustrates the potential of modular cell-free biosensors as rapid, low-cost detection assays that can inform clinical practice.
AU  - Wen,KY
AU  - Cameron,L
AU  - Chappell,J
AU  - Jensen,K
AU  - Bell,DJ
AU  - Kelwick,R
AU  - Kopniczky,M
AU  - Davies,JC
AU  - Filloux,A
AU  - Freemont,PS
DO  - 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00219
EP  - 2301
PY  - 2017///
SN  - 2161-5063
SP  - 2293
TI  - A Cell-Free Biosensor for Detecting Quorum Sensing Molecules in P. aeruginosa-Infected Respiratory Samples.
T2  - ACS Synthetic Biology
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.7b00219
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/53616
VL  - 6
ER  -
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