2435 On the Verge of Creating Synthetic Life

Saturday, February 20, 2010: 9:50 AM
Room 6D (San Diego Convention Center)
Ari Patrinos , Synthetic Genomics Inc., La Jolla, CA
The genomics revolution has transformed biology from qualitative phenomenology to structured rigor in many subtle and also not so subtle ways.  There are many examples of this transformation in medicine, including personalized medicine for diagnosis, prevention, and cure.

The genomics revolution also offers tremendous potential for game-changing applications for the environment.  Environmental genomics has created an entirely new field of scientific exploration by expanding our ways of studying ecological systems.  The discovery of a vastly complex microbial diversity is giving us new insights into the intricate machinery of ecological function.  Moreover, the realization that ecological function can be viewed in the context of gene function rather than organism function offers intriguing new ways to understand ecological new systems and eventually new mechanisms for rehabilitation.  Several game-changing solutions can be contemplated in such wide-ranging applications as bioremediation of mixed chemical-radioactive waste as well as in geo-engineering for climate change mitigation.

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