ABSTRACT
Introduction Synthetic Biology aims to make the implantation of new, complex biological function in cells more of an engineering science than a biology research project. A central eort of this emerging eld is the design of modular biological parts that facilitate both the ease of manufacture and the design of predictable function in cells. e hope is that this will allow applications at larger scale and with more sophistication than is currently feasible with the more ad hoc genetic engineering approaches commonly applied today. If successful, a great deal is to be gained from this approach in supporting classical applications such as industrial expression of useful proteins, creation of pathways for biological synthesis of organic molecules for pharmaceuticals and commodity natural products, or to confer a simple phenotype such as pest or drought resistance on a host.
