As synthetic biology permeates society, the signal processing circuits in engineered living
systems must be customized to meet practical demands. Towards this mission, novel …

Cells coordinate intracellular activities in response to changes in the extracellular
environment to maximize their probability of survival and proliferation. Eukaryotic cells need …

The shape of a plant's root system influences its ability to reach essential nutrients in the soil
and to acquire water during drought. Progress in engineering plant roots to optimize water …

Biosensors that sense the concentration of a specified target and produce a specific signal
output have become important technology for biological analysis. Recently, intelligent …

Synapses are a key component of neural circuits, facilitating rapid and specific signalling
between neurons. Synaptic engineering—the synthetic insertion of new synaptic …

Synthetic biology aims to modify cellular behaviors by implementing genetic circuits that
respond to changes in cell state. Integrating genetic biosensors into endogenous gene …

Highlights•Synthetic biology aims to apply engineering principles in biology.•Insufficient part
libraries, standards, and software are challenges to the field.•Working on the challenges will …

Protein phosphorylation signaling networks have a central role in how cells sense and
respond to their environment. We engineered artificial phosphorylation networks in which …

Biomolecular control enables leveraging cells as biomanufacturing factories. Despite recent
advancements, we currently lack genetically encoded modules that can be deployed to …

The immune system includes an array of specialized cells that keep us healthy by
responding to pathogenic cues. Investigations into the mechanisms behind immune cell …