5Quizzes
Synthetic Biology
Discover the field that engineers new biological systems—gene circuits, CRISPR tools, metabolic engineering, and artificial organisms. Learn how biology is being redesigned for innovation.
Introduction to Synthetic Biology
What is synthetic biology? A quiz on its core concepts and goals.
Genetic Circuits
Understand the design of simple genetic circuits, like the "toggle switch" and "repressilator".
Minimal Genomes
An advanced quiz on the efforts to create a "minimal cell" with the fewest genes possible.
BioBricks & Standardization
A quiz on the iGEM registry and the concept of standardized, interchangeable biological parts.
Applications of Synthetic Biology
Explore how engineered organisms are used for bioremediation, biofuels, and medicine.
Dictionary
Key Synthetic Biology Terms
Plain definitions, with how to say each word and where it comes from.
- BioBrick
A BioBrick is a standardized piece of DNA, such as a promoter or gene, flanked by fixed sequences so it can be joined to other parts in a repeatable way.
- Genetic circuit
A genetic circuit is a designed set of genes and regulatory DNA that lets a cell sense inputs and respond in a programmed way, like an electronic circuit.
- Metabolic engineering
Metabolic engineering is the redesign of a cell's metabolic pathways with genetic tools so that it makes more of a useful product, or makes a new one.
- Minimal genome
A minimal genome is the smallest set of genes that allows a cell to grow and divide on its own under defined laboratory conditions.
- Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology applies engineering design to living systems, building new genetic parts, circuits and genomes so that organisms can do useful jobs.
- Bioreactor
A bioreactor is a vessel that keeps living cells or enzymes under controlled conditions so they can grow and make a product, such as a drug or vaccine.
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