Synthetic biology biology Synthetic and the future design and the future ofof design Designing with DNA will probably become an everyday affair for the twenty-first century designer, including in Flanders, and faster than one might expect. In the first issue of this year we already published a portrait of Tuur Van Balen, who is completely focused on concepts of synthetic biology. As part of the exhibition and research project Alter Nature which Z33 will be presenting from November onwards, a speed dating event was organised between specialists in synthetic biology from the University of Leuven, as well as students in communication and multimedia design of the Media & Design Academy in Genk and students studying glass techniques, jewellery and sculpture at Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg. Both sides – scientists and designers – hope to become interesting partners for a future that holds much in store anyway.
medische toepassingen zoals malariageneesmiddelen of microbiologische organismen die kankercellen kunnen binnendringen (door de wetenschappers omschreven als het ‘gouden ei’ van de synthetische biologie), maar ook naar kunstmatige spinnenzijde waarmee nieuwe weefsels kunnen worden gemaakt. Koreaanse biotechnologen hebben bacteriën genetisch gewijzigd zodat ze spinnenzijde produceren. Het is een project dat tot de verbeelding spreekt door de enorme sterkte van het natuurlijke materiaal. Spinnenzijde zou zo de basis kunnen vormen voor één van de krachtigste en lichtste bouwmaterialen, of voor supersterke liftkabels of voor ultralichte kogelvrije vesten.1 Het klinkt mooi, maar kunnen we de spinnen niet gewoon hun werk laten doen? “Waarom al dit gedoe met bacteriën, vraag je je misschien af? Waarom niet gewoon spinnen opsluiten en deze direct écht spinnendraad laten maken? Een legbatterij spinnen, als het ware. Het lot wil dat spinnen zich niet in hokjes laten drukken. Ze bijten elkaar dood, hebben een groot territorium nodig en willen niet seksen, waardoor je elke spin uit het wild moet plukken. Dat maakt het bijna onmogelijk”.2 Terwijl door recente evoluties in de synthetische biologie de manipulatie van levensvormen steeds gemakkelijker wordt. “Het
Shiki1 (detail), Makoto Azuma. Foto: Kristof Vrancken/Z33
Synthetic biology is being promoted as the science of the future. Its research activities are aimed at modifying existing (micro) organisms or even building new life forms and to use them for specific tasks. It is a science that wants to outsmart Mother Nature and which wants to direct evolution – faster than natural evolution can. If we need a new material for example or if we want to manufacture an existing material cheaply and on a large scale, then we simply modify the existing code of a bacteria or write our own DNA script. Then we have the bacteria generate the new material on command in a fermentor using banal nutrients. In the past recombinant DNA technology [DNA is transferred from one species to another] was carried out ad hoc, with results that were barely predictable results. These days synthetic biology works with standardised components and predictable results. Synthetic biology is closely related to systems biology which wants to understand the behaviour of a whole system based on a holistic point of view: new modules are created with DNA building blocks which are then integrated into the biological system. It sounds futuristic and it is. However, this future is becoming more real and easier to understand. Life will change, but at the same this artificial (because synthetic) life seems almost familiar, precisely because it meets several specific and identifiable needs. Universities and governments pay a lot of attention to the developments in synthetic biology and are capitalising on this familiarity. As a result they are also publishing on these projects in an accessible language. In a recent issue of Het Ingenieursblad (4/2010) professors and researchers of the K.U.Leuven have translated the subject into understandable language: “Biological cells as factories for biofuels, pharmaceuticals and smart materials. Synthetic biology combines biology and engineering principles to create new and useful biological systems.” Such systems can be very interesting for the design world. The introduction to the above speed dating event did not only refer to medical applications such as malaria drugs or microbiological organisms which can enter cancer cells (the scientists described them as the ‘golden egg’ of synthetic biology), but also to artificial spider silk with which new fabrics can be created. Korean biotechnologists have genetically modified bacteria to produce spider silk. This project fuels the imagination because of the amazing strength of this natural material. Spider silk could thus serve as a component of one of the most powerful and lightest materials, or for super strong elevator cables or for ultra-light body armour.1 It sounds good, but why not simply let the spiders go about their business and do their job? “Why all this fuss with bacteria, you may ask yourself? Why not just catch a few spiders and have them spin some real spider silk? A battery of spinning spiders, come to think of it. As it is spiders’ temperaments are not suited to living in small spaces. They bite each other to death, they need a large territory and they do not like sex, meaning you would have to go catch