Making Bacteria Behave: Programming Living Cells

David Karig and Subhayu Basu

Electrical Engineering , Princeton University

In the emerging field of synthetic biology, computational modeling plays the critical role of guiding design choices and offers a means of exploring the intricacies of engineered systems. Artificial networks that achieve coordinated behavior in cell communities have applications in areas such as tissue engineering, biomaterial fabrication, and environmental sensing/effecting. Additionally, constructing, modeling, and experimenting with such systems lead to a deeper understanding of natural genetic networks. We will discuss both simulations and corresponding experimental results for several new synthetic systems, including constructs designed to amplify weak responses to intercellular signals, exhibit dynamic pulse responses, detect specific chemical concentration ranges, and form patterns through programmed cell death.