The Physical Biosciences Division at Lawrence
Berkeley
National Laboratory established the world’s first Synthetic Biology
Department, which seeks to understand and design biological systems and
their components to address a host of problems that cannot be solved using
naturally-occurring systems. Employing organisms and biologically inspired
systems to solve real-world problems has enormous potential for human
health, renewable energy, and the environment. Synthetic biology also
provides an alternative perspective from which to consider, analyze, and
ultimately understand our living world. read more -->
Synthetic Biology 2.0 comes to Berkeley May 20-22
The
Second International Conference on Synthetic
Biology (Synthetic Biology 2.0)
came to UC Berkeley on May 20-22, 2006. Organized by a collaborative
group of researchers
from UC Berkeley, Berkeley Lab, MIT and UCSF, the three-day conference brought
together some of the world’s top scientists, industry
leaders, and policymakers to help advance the foundational understanding and
technologies to build biological components and assemble them into integrated
systems. The third day of the conference emphasized
the ethical, legal and social concerns of scientists and the general public alike.
More at http:/pbd.lbl.gov/sbconf/.
Schwarzenegger visits Berkeley Lab Touts the potential payoffs of synthetic
biology Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Berkeley Lab on August
19. He commended the Lab's contributions to science and learned
about synthetic biology and other areas of research at the lab.
During the tour of the Advanced Light Source, the governor met
with Jay Keasling, who explained the emerging field of synthetic
biology and its potential to solve a wide range of health and environmental
problems. Keasling is head of the Synthetic Biology Department
at Berkeley Lab. "And something I’m really excited about
are the synthetic biology projects they’re working on to
create new kinds of fuels so we can reduce our dependence on oil
and protect our environment," remarked Schwarzenegger. More
about the governor's visit from UCB--> Photos,
video and more from the governor's office -->
Berkeley West Biocenter: A
new home for synthetic biology
Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley have joined forces to establish the Berkeley
West Biocenter, a multidisciplinary research facility in synthetic
biology, cell and molecular biology, cancer research, and quantitative
biology. The 72,000 square-foot space, with its excellent laboratory
facilities and prime location in the heart of the Bay Area bioscience
hub, is perfectly suited to the technical demands of today’s
biosciences. The facility also represents a major step in consolidating
and strengthening the Division's efforts to continue delivering on
the promises of synthetic biology. More
about the Biocenter -->
Schwarzenegger visits Berkeley Lab
