Synthetic Biology: Current concepts and tools for strain development

Synthetic biology and systems biology follow the chemical, physical and engineering sciences by using quantitative mathematical models for the description of complex cellular behaviors. Concepts from molecular and systems biology, synthetic biology, process engineering, and economy will have to be combined for the development of efficient biotechnological processes. To enable (molecular)biologists, biotechnologists, and biochemical engineers to pursue this interdisciplinary challenge, it is mandatory to strengthen both the mathematical skills of biologists and the engineers’ knowledge of basic biological concepts and molecular techniques as well as designing novel synthetic pathways.

Thus, the Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology DECHEMA (Frankfurt) and the Straubing Center of Science with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) devised a summer school schedule that would allow participants to familiarize themselves with relevant (molecular)biological concepts from synthetic and systems biology, with mathematical modeling strategies and appropriate technologies and software tools. The summer school addresses both biologists and engineers: Biologists will learn how engineering approaches can help them in planning, performing and evaluating experiments, whereas engineers get insight into state-of-the-art molecular and measurement techniques that help to feed their biological models.

The course consists of formal lectures, workshops and tutorials for hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools. The participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers. They will be informed on the system requirements and provided with respective software to be installed on the laptop PC.

Download the course flyer "Synthetic Biology"