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Synthetic Biologist
Engineers new biological systems — designing organisms that can produce fuel, food, or medicine.
Did you know?
In 2016 scientists found a bacterium at a Japanese recycling site that can break down PET plastic, the kind used in drinks bottles.
How subjects help
- Biology: Add new genes to yeast or bacteria so they produce useful things like medicine.
- Chemistry: Design the chemical steps a microbe follows to turn sugar into fuel or a useful material.
- Computer Science: Use design software to plan DNA sequences before building them in the lab.
- Mathematics: Model how fast engineered cells grow and how much useful product they make.
A famous name
J. Craig Venter: Led the team that created the first cell controlled by a fully lab-made genome in 2010.
Try it yourself: Invent a way to sort leaves
- Lay out your collection and look closely at every one. (Do not pick berries or mushrooms, and wash your hands afterwards.)
- Split them into two groups using one question, like "smooth edge or jagged edge?"
- Keep splitting each group with a new question until every item is on its own.
- Give your key to someone else. Can they use your questions to find the same item?
Scientists sort living things this way. A good key lets anyone identify a species just by answering questions.
Also try: Build a paper bridge.
Known for it in
USA, UK, China, Germany, Singapore