Dr. Tae Seok Moon of Washington University is making a presentation titled "Systems and Synthetic Biology: Constructing Smart and Programmable Microbes to Address Global Problems"

The past decade has witnessed the tremendous power of systems and synthetic biology in the creation of genetic parts, devices, and systems, which helps understand complex biological systems.  However, its potential for real-world applications has not been fully exploited.  One of its promising applications is the construction of programmable cells that are able to integrate multiple environmental signals and to implement synthetic control over biological processes.  My research interests are focused on developing microbes that are able to process multiple input signals and to generate user-defined outputs.  Specifically, I aim to build genetic programs in order to control various bacterial processes such as gene expression, chemical reactions, and evolution.  I will present unpublished results of my research projects by discussing the potential and challenges of systems and synthetic biology to address global problems, including plastic and agricultural waste issues, non-invasive diagnostics and disease treatment using smart probiotics, sustainable bioproduction, and biocontainment of engineered organisms.

This work is supported by U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Office of Naval Research, U. S. Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force Research Laboratory, AIChE, Joint Genome Institute, and Gates Foundation.