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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 into the Australian SynBio Challenge, launched in 2020 to contribute to a vision of a strong, innovative and responsible Synthetic Biology sector in Australia. 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 be framed by two main events, a “design review” and a “final showcase”, at the start and end of the semester, that aim to bring students, academics and industry together to realise visions for a sustainable future. Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but are assessed separately.
Grant Proposal
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Literature assignment relevant to the chosen project
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9
Organise and run team meetings (CRS)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9
Skills development assignment
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 7, 9
Contribution to final review and showcase (CRS) (hurdle)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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 BIOL6188 is associated with a national science challenge that runs year-round (https://www.aussynbiochallenge.org/). 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 joseph.brock@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.
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