News

Synthetic Biology SRI members discover caterpillar that can biodegrade shopping bags

8 May 2017

In an exciting new development in the war on plastic waste, Cambridge researchers have discovered a common insect larva that is able to break down chemical bonds in polyethylene plastic bags at higher rates than any method found previously. Scientists say the discovery could be a possible opportunity to help remove harmful polyethylene waste from the environment and landfills.

SRI members collaborate on discovery of caterpillar found to eat shopping bags, suggesting biodegradable solution to plastic pollution

8 May 2017

Global Challenges Forum announced

27 April 2017

The Global Challenges Forum have recently announced their new website. The forum aims to enhance the contribution of University of Cambridge research towards addressing global challenges and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Opportunity to join international open hardware collaboration to produce a single pixel camera for low-cost hyperspectral imaging

26 April 2017

Members of the international open science hardware community have been pursuing a group project to produce a single pixel camera for low-cost hyperspectral imaging and are seeking collaborators.

The cutting edge of Synthetic Botany reviewed by Cambridge researchers

12 April 2017

Cambridge researchers have reviewed the state of art and future prospects for Synthetic Botany - the application of synthetic biology to engineering nuclear and chloroplast genomes in plants.

Synthetic biology and the senses at the Cambridge Science Festival

11 April 2017

The Downing Site Plant and Life Sciences Marquee welcomed over 1200 Science Festival attendees on Saturday 18 March to experience 'getting personal' with the biological sciences. Members of OpenPlant and the Synthetic Biology Strategic Research Initiative were out in force to help visitors of all ages explore synthetic biology with their senses and explore the every day applications this emerging technology might be put to in the coming years: from sustainable scents to tastier tomatoes.

Three Cambridge based spin-offs win Bio-start accelerator funding

31 March 2017

After an intensive 10-week competition across the UK, three Cambridge spin-offs have been awarded Bio-start funding, as well as the opportunity to join the UK’s first synthetic biology accelerator programme.

Synthetic Biology SRI members collaborate on Biodesign challenge workshops at the Royal College of Art.

23 March 2017

The BioDesign challenge asks students, in consultation with scientists and design professors, to create designs that demonstrate how biotech might reshape our world—from foods, to materials, to energy, to medicine. The pilot program in 2016, which culminated in a summit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) NY, received a tremendous amount of praise.

Just add water: creating protein in a test tube with cell-free synthetic biology

22 March 2017

Science Practice’s interest in synthetic biology goes back to the Arsenic Biosensor Collaboration, and recently we were back in Jim Haseloff’s lab to learn about a new development called cell-free synthetic biology. This technology made headlines when it was used to create a low-cost, paper-based diagnostic test for the Zika virus. We’re interested in paper-based diagnostics (see SoilCards) and portable technology that could enable lab analysis in the field, like the MinION. Because of our work in this area were we asked to co-convene a workshop called “Programmable biology in the test tube”, which was organised by Jenny Molloy from the Strategic Research Initiative for Synthetic Biology at Cambridge.

How can we share solutions to complex systems problems across domains and application areas?

16 March 2017

What do power networks, transportation hubs, weather patterns, commercial organisations and swarming robots have in common? Chih-Chun Chen and Nathan Crilly at the Cambridge Engineering Design Centre have published ‘A primer on the design and science of complex systems’, following on from work examining complexity in synthetic biology and swarm robotics.

Synthetic Biology SRI members discover caterpillar that can biodegrade shopping bags

SRI members collaborate on discovery of caterpillar found to eat shopping bags, suggesting biodegradable solution to plastic pollution

Global Challenges Forum announced

Opportunity to join international open hardware collaboration to produce a single pixel camera for low-cost hyperspectral imaging

The cutting edge of Synthetic Botany reviewed by Cambridge researchers

Synthetic biology and the senses at the Cambridge Science Festival

Three Cambridge based spin-offs win Bio-start accelerator funding

Synthetic Biology SRI members collaborate on Biodesign challenge workshops at the Royal College of Art.

Just add water: creating protein in a test tube with cell-free synthetic biology

How can we share solutions to complex systems problems across domains and application areas?

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