04/13/2009

Defining the Role of Predictive Modeling for Rational Biological Engineering

Summary

The field of genomics is moving toward rational re-engineering of microbes that could provide new technologies for DOE’s energy and environment missions.  Nitin Baliga and co-authors at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) have just published an article in Nature Reviews Microbiology (Volume 7, pages 297-305, April 2009) that discusses current research in genomics and the opportunities for significant advances provided by the integration of new technologies such as synthetic biology, systems biology, and predictive modeling. The authors point out that biological systems do not readily adapt to large changes in their metabolic or regulatory systems that alter the balance of energy or resources.  New strategies are needed to overcome this obstacle that bring together separate efforts in systems biology and synthetic biology using simultaneous global modeling and systems optimization. This multi-scale approach to experimental characterization and redesign of microbial cells and microbial communities will provide a foundation for applying microbial biology to achieve new sources of energy and to solve problems in environmental contamination.