“With DNA, you can program almost any living system”

You are considered one of the fathers of synthetic biology. What is it about?

George Church It is a term that pretty much covers the field of genetic engineering. This consists of ‘editing’ the DNA of organisms, by precisely cutting and pasting genes…but now also ‘designing’ and manufacturing the DNA entirely in a laboratory. We use artificial intelligence to create libraries of billions of genetic assemblies, which we test and retest for specific uses, removing what doesn’t work. With DNA, we can now program almost any living system. Genetic engineering is a combination of calculation, serendipity, and trial and error that is very similar to what natural evolution would have been.

But what are the concrete uses?

It started with unicellular organisms, then contact teams

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