Synthetic biology pioneers issue bioterror warning

As synthetic biology emerges from the sidelines to produce new therapies and fuels, the burgeoning business also promises to create tools that can be put to work on the behalf of a new generation of bioterrorists. And two of the pioneers in the field, George Church and Craig Venter, warn that regulators will need to watch over the work to make sure the technology doesn't end up in the wrong hands. ...

Life Technologies budgets $100M for synthetic biology deals

Lured into the promising field of synthetic biology, Life Technologies is striking a string of new deals intended to position the company as one of the primary providers of the research tools which will be needed by scientists laboring on new projects. According to a report from Forbes' Matthew Herper, Life Technologies has reserved $100 million to invest in the field this year. Yesterday the company announced its investment in J. Craig Venter's Synthetic Genomics,...

Venter team births world’s first synthetic cell

A team of researchers working under J. Craig Venter was able to take a bacterium and replace its genome with synthetic DNA they had developed using computer code. In creating a custom species of bacteria, the company has opened new doors to genetic engineering and advanced the field of synthetic biology, which has been focused on a number of life sciences projects. "This is the first synthetic cell that's been made, and we call it synthetic because the cell is totally derived from a synthetic...