Synthetic cell research, also known as bottom-up synthetic biology, aims to understand how cells work by trying to reproduce their molecular mechanisms, with the ultimate ambition of building functional cells from scratch, i.e. synthetic cells. These cell-like structures will have the ability to perform at least three of the main functions of living cells: metabolism, DNA processing, and division.
Synthetic cell research attempts to answer the fundamental question of how life works and will lead to a new green technology based on mimicking natural processes, with applications in many areas.
We focus our activities on three main areas:
Ultimately we aim to develop a European Research and Innovation Ecosystem in Bottom-up Synthetic Biology: a virtual institute with a coordination office at Delft University of Technology to foster collaboration between research hubs and companies across Europe.
Technological developments in the field of bottom-up synthetic biology will accelerate dramatically all over the world over the next 5-10 years. Investment is essential if we are to rapidly translate synthetic cell research into innovation in Europe. We also advocate for funding instruments that are adapted to a coordinated pan-European science and technology program.
Building a synthetic cell and the fundamental knowledge that accompanies it will have an impact that goes beyond scientific discoveries and will influence a wide range of industries in the fields of health, food, energy and biobased materials:
Pharmaceuticals, food, nutrition, self-healing materials, bioplastics and sustainable fuels are a few examples of applications that come from the research field of building synthetic cells. The interest of companies will grow even more as the reality of a synthetic cell comes closer.
The path towards a synthetic cell involves the development of numerous methods and tools with important spin-off possibilities in the form of test beds for synthetic biology applications, advanced drug delivery systems, drug-screening methods, and bionanodevices for multiplex detection of molecules.
The European Synthetic Cell Initiative is a formal partnership between research institutions from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Spain: