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Who would win in a competition, a hamster or bacteria? Place your bets! This episode tells the story of an epic science showdown. The stakes are high. Danielle Tullman-Ercek is a synthetic biologist trying to find a better way to make life-saving medicine. To do it, she’s engineering a bacteria cell to compete with a medicine-making hamster cell. Listen to find out what if Danielle and her bacteria have what it takes to win. What’s a hamster cell doing making medicine, anyway?!
More About Synthetic Biology!
Synthetic biology is a relatively new field of biology. Scientists believe it's opening new possibilities in how we produce materials and medicine.
But what is it? This video explains how synthetic biology works, with a company that's using the technology to engineer scents.
We have another episode about synthetic biology, and how it can be used to make biofuel.
Synthetic biology has also provided a new tool for artists! Lindsay helped produce this Studio 360 episode about how science and art are combining to "design" life.
Synthetic Biology News
Here's a few recent headlines about how scientists are using synthetic biology.
New York Times article explaining the story behind de-extinction
A new company is engineering a better fertilizer with microbes
Microbes for national defense?
Eat bread again, thanks to engineered biology!
Design Your Own Bacteria
If you were to engineer a bacteria cell, what would it do? Dream it, design it, draw it! Send it to us at tumblepodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to share it with our listeners!
