Synthetic Biology - (De Gruyter Textbook) by Urartu Ozgur Safak Seker (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Synthetic biology is an engineering discipline that aims to develop new biological systems for human use. To achieve this, synthetic biology learns from natural processes, redefines them for purposes beyond those addressed by nature, tests these newly designed systems, and iteratively improves them for better functionality. In this sense, synthetic biology harnesses the results of evolution to redesign biological systems for humankind. This book presents key concepts in synthetic biology in a clear and accessible manner, providing a foundational understanding of its tools and objectives. It is designed for readers interested in exploring the intersection of biology and engineering. Topics includes discovery of new genetic parts, computation in cells, responsive cellular sensors, environmental synthetic biology, genetic circuits, protein engineering and living biomaterials.

About the Author

Urartu Ozgur Safak Seker received his Ph.D. in molecular biology and genetics from Istanbul Technical University in 2009. He carried out his experimental studies at the University of Washington, Seattle between 2004-2008 in the Materials Science and Engineering Department. In March 2010 he became a postdoctoral research fellow in the Applied Physics Department at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and moved to MIT as a postdoctoral researcher, where he was affiliated with the Synthetic Biology Research Center, RLE and Biological Engineering. Since May 2014 he has been a professor at Bilkent University Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Life Sciences Section. His research covers synthetic biology and its biomedical applications. He is a recipient of Distinguished Young Scientist awards from Turkish Academy of Sciences, Turkish Institute of Health, Science Academy, METU Parlar Foundation, and FABED.