MCDB Seminar> Synthetic Circuits, Natural Questions

How do bacterial cells process information and use signals to direct development and resist antibiotics? In this talk, I'll describe how my lab is building modular cell-based signaling pathways that enable us to probe the activity and rewire the function of natural ones. Our current work has uncovered compartment-specific signaling cascades, and developing synthetic receptors has let us reprogram how cells respond to their environment for biosensor development. I'll also discuss how we navigate the design-discovery loop and leverage evolutionary diversity to develop tools that address challenges in both technology and fundamental science. Collectively, our work demonstrates how engineering-driven approaches can yield practical biotechnologies and, in the process, deepen our understanding of natural biological systems.

Host: Lyle Simmons