BCAM Scientific Seminar: Opportunities in the intersection of machine learning, synthetic biology and automation: engineering life for the benefit of society

Abstract:
Biology has changed radically in the last two decades, transitioning from a descriptive science into a design science. The discovery of DNA as the repository of genetic information, and of recombinant DNA as an effective way to modify it, has first led into the development of genetic engineering and later the field of synthetic biology. This transition into industrialized synthetic biology is expected to affect most human activities: from producing renewable biofuels to combat climate change, to improving human health. However, our inability to predict the behaviour of biological systems severely hampers progress in bioengineering and biomedical applications. We will show how the combination of machine learning, automation, and synthetic biology enables the creation of predictive synthetic biology for the benefit of society, and the possibility to create improved machine learning algorithms.

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