Engineering biological signaling pathways using synthetic cells

Facing the challenges of the XXIst century related to climate, energy and health requires the development of new biotechnologies. Synthetic approaches of biology represent an opportunity for applications where living cells are inefficient, inadapted or undesired. Yet, ‘Only cells can make cells’ remains to date an unrefutable fundamental reality and constructing de novo living systems represents the new frontier of biotechnology. The IT industry developed over the years highly complex and integrated microsystems, based on building blocks such as the transistor and fundamental principles of electrodynamics and quantum physics. The analogon for biology must still be unraveled to develop the biotechnologies of the next century.

Our aim is to produce life-like systems of synthetic cells in interaction with their environment. We will train Doctoral Candidates to develop a toolbox of experimental building blocks, based upon soft microcompartments, molecular transporters, DNA nanotechnologies, optical technologies and microtechnologies, for the construction and integration of large population of interacting synthetic cells. Because they are built from scratch with a high-level of functional characterization and control, these cells will allow to unravel fundamental principle in life complexity and, at the same time, become integrable building blocks - analogon of the transistors of the IT industry - of a new type of biotechnology. They will pave the way for applications of synthetic cells addressing the pressing needs of the XXIst century, in energy harvesting, biomass and raw matter transformation, bio-remediation or therapeutics.

Our network based upon interdisciplinarity in research and innovation, will train the next generation of independent and responsible scientists to address pressing global challenges through the build up of fundamental knowledge and sustainable innovations.