Team:Duke/Policy/House-Course

Our question: How can the Duke iGEM team best increase knowledge of synthetic biology?

Our approach: To start a half-credit course taught by members of the Duke iGEM team to educate students on the field of synthetic biology, beginning Spring 2015.

From curing genetic diseases to creating wholly artificial life forms, the new field of synthetic biology is rapidly redefining our understanding of life itself.

Synthetic biology combines the vast knowledge of molecular biology developed over the last century with principles of forward design, giving new meaning and purpose to the concept of genetic engineering. The core philosophy of this movement can be summed up by the words of physicist Richard Feynman: “what I cannot create, I do not understand.”

Our house course serves as an introduction to the synthetic biology movement, as well as a catalyst for dialogue about the potential applications of the young field and its implications for society. We will begin with an introduction to the biological and engineering principles required for an informed discussion on the topic, focusing on the Central Dogma, standard biological parts, and modular design. We will then discuss a variety of current and potential applications in the genres of basic research, gene therapies, and drug development, among others. Finally, we will analyze the potential impact of such technologies on human health, safety, intellectual property, and the environment. Students will have the opportunity to develop their own synthetic project ideas, assessing their implications on ethics and society.

The course will provide students with a foundation of understanding upon which they can critically evaluate developments in synthetic biology and society. As synthetic biotechnologies become more commonplace in our world, it is critical that society’s leaders have the necessary background to make crucial decisions regarding their development and use.

While this course currently is offered only to Duke students, we hope in the near future to transform this course into a course that is collaboratively designed and taught by iGEM teams in universities and high schools across the globe. This would allow knowledge of synthetic biology to reach an incredibly wide audience and could be a means by which new synthetic biology research ideas are produced.