#synthetic biology

All articles tagged with "synthetic biology"

A prototype synthetic cell assembled from non-living components completed a full cell cycle.
The system is not yet considered living because it cannot replicate indefinitely or evolve autonomously.
Open-sourcing the project could accelerate work on minimal, better-understood cell systems.

DT Editorial Team·Jul 2, 2026·via newscientist.com

Modeling suggests mirror-life organisms would need specialized nutrients to survive.
Scientists remain divided over whether ecological limits meaningfully reduce the risk.
The dispute reflects growing pressure to govern advanced biology before capabilities fully arrive.

DT Editorial Team·May 30, 2026·via newscientist.com

Scientists who once backed mirror bacteria research are now warning it could be catastrophic.
The original proposal aimed to create microbes with mirror-image proteins and sugars for research purposes.
The story highlights innovation’s self-correcting side, where capability can be reassessed as unacceptable risk.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 20, 2026·via technologyreview.com

Researchers initially saw mirror microbes as a path to major scientific and medical advances.
By 2024, some of the same scientists warned the organisms could evade natural predators and immune defenses.
The debate has become a test case for how frontier biotech should handle extreme downside risk.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 15, 2026·via technologyreview.com

Engineered bacteria break down PET plastic from water bottles and synthesize levodopa, the primary Parkinson's drug
The pathway connects PET degradation products to the shikimate pathway and levodopa biosynthetic route
Circular economy potential: plastic waste as feedstock for a pharmaceutical with established global demand
Research is proof-of-concept stage; yield optimization and regulatory compliance remain ahead

DT Editorial Team·Mar 16, 2026·5 min read·via phys.org