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Biology Teaching and Learning Centre and the Research School of Chemistry · ANU College of Science and Medicine
Since its much heralded inception in the early 2000’s, Synthetic Biology (SynBio) has gained significant attention and sizeable funding from public and private sectors around the world. From its emergence as a boldly stated intention to engineer biology, through to an increasingly mature and diverse discipline, the field continues to promise solutions to the global challenges we face today. It is becoming increasingly possible to engineer living cells in the same way as digital technology, complete with dedicated program languages and assembly tools to quickly and modularly combine biological “parts” for a tailored purpose. Proponents promise clean energy, sustainable biomanufacturing, food security and effective disease intervention that will transform our society, alter the way we interact with our environment, and allow us to sustainably provide goods and services across all economic sectors. This course will form the basis of the ANU entry in Synthetic Biology Challenges, such as the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, the Australasian SynBio Challenge (ASBC) and the Global Open Genetic Engineering Competiton (GOGEC). These challenges share a vision of research led education to create a strong, innovative and responsible Synthetic Biology sector of the future. Students will be expected to work cohesively in a team, designing, building and testing a synthetic biology solution to a significant problem. Students will be expected to learn about Synthetic Biology and its potential applications in the process, with a particular emphasis on developing entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of the commercialisation process. The course will in parallel with the Synthetic Biology challenge that ANU has entered. This is an Honours Pathway Course.
Grant proposal
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Skill development assignment
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 7
Contribution to Design Review and Final Showcase (CRS) (hurdle)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including: - Approximately 65 hours of team meetings, event preparation and self directed study, including developing skills in using SynBio software tools. - 65 hours of computational design and lab based building of the Synthetic Biology device. Students are expected to actively participate and contribute towards discussions. Work Integrated Learning Placements Other Information BIOL3188 is associated with a science challenge that runs year-round. Therefore, teams are recruited at the start of semester 1 each year and it is not possible to join the team mid-year. Entry into this course is merit-based and places are limited [Overall GPA and EoI are the main criteria for student selection, but so are factors such as having gender balance and diversity of the team]. Participants will be chosen based on courses undertaken to ensure a multidisciplinary team and on marks in relevant courses. Please email BIOL3188@anu.edu.au by the start of Semester 1 each year to register your interest. Selection outcomes will be made available to students by first week March each year. Participating in synthetic biology challenges such as iGEM have significant costs including team registration, international airfares and accommodation. Enrolling in the course DOES NOT guarantee student funding for these activities. Rather, funding for these extracurricular activities must be raised by independent fundraising by the team of students.
There are no prescribed texts for this course.