Synthetic Biology: Principles and Applications - Jan Roelof van der Meer

Dr. van der Meer begins by giving a very nice outline of what synthetic biology is. He explains that DNA and protein “parts” can be put together to form biological circuits in a manner analogous to making electrical circuits from transformers, capacitors and the like. These circuits can be designed for many applications in health and agriculture etc. van der Meer concludes his talk by describing work from his lab to engineer biosensor bacteria that can measure toxic compounds in the environment. A simple system is presented of a bacterial cell which glows in the presence of arsenic, that has been used to test drinking water in Bangladesh for high levels of arsenic.

Speaker Biography:
Jan van der Meer is a professor at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) in the Department of Fundamental Microbiology. Previous to his appointment in Lausanne, he worked as group leader at the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Research (Eawag). Dr. van der Meer received his PhD from the Wageningen University and Research Centre, and completed postdoctoral work at the National Dairy Institute in Ede, The Netherlands. His research focuses on how bacteria respond and adapt to contaminated environments, and how these adaptations can be used for useful purposes, such as generating environmental reporters. One application, a bacterial biosensor for arsenic, was awarded the 2010 Erwin Schrödinger Prize.

[HunterCrim]

I’m curious what great advancements have been made since this video was created. Cool possibilities, like you said we dissect everything and will continue until we can reverse engineer the world around us.
Keep up the good work (sincerely, not sarcastically… hard to tell on here sometimes ha)

[katsumi]

I`ve recently got intrigued by the idea of Synthetic Biology from going down a rabbit hole starting on MIT's School of Engineering academics page. And what brings to mind when I find something superbly interesting, a doubt "But is it about space? is it gonna make me, or guide me towards helping visionaries or pioneers fighting for a future of us becoming multiplanetary species?". For such a thing, why not Mechanical, or.. Aerospace engineering? to me, I`m not sure, and can't be sure of, due to my current circumstances. So I'm stuck, I'm lost.. what is that I would spend my parent's money and my time for? for when the opportunity comes.
Nevertheless, I would love to talk to someone who's gone through something similar. And excuse me for my rant, this isn't really the place for it..heh.
--Have a strong, dedicated journey to your endeavors.

[mostafaghaderi]

Prof. I love you. Thanks for this great explanation

[boombamsquad]

Flawless execution of delivering incredible knowledge. 🙌

[cindymagnuson]

wow...i hope more people are reading between the lines here

[geckoo]

This reminds me the portable executable format, except like 3000 times more complex. 11:40, that just sounds like the jmp instruction that loads a function or jumps to a different part of the program... maybe I should stop, this is kind of scaring me.

[infocentrousmajac]

Awesome work Sir!!! I am working on Biosensor designs currently and your top level explanation has helped me greatly to convey the idea and potential of SynBio. Regards

[alekoseleftherios]

Im doing masters degree in Brazil, how can i work with synthetic biology? Is there a contact to talk about it?

[postbodzapism]

So do you call what you synthesize "life"

[asfsfafafafafaf]

Ga eens keer naar een logopediste...je bent amper te verstaan.