Program Structure

Module 1: Sustainability Problems SynBio Can Address

• Where SynBio fits: climate mitigation, waste valorization, safer materials, water purification, and sustainable food systems.
• Problem framing: defining scope, stakeholders, constraints, and measurable targets.
• Success metrics: performance KPIs, safety KPIs, cost realism, and impact verification.
• Reality check: limits of biology, time scales, and deployment considerations.

Module 2: SynBio Core Concepts (Genetic Parts to Systems)

• Biological “programming” ideas: DNA as information and gene expression as output control.
• Genetic parts overview: promoters, regulators, sensors, and reporters (high-level).
• Genetic circuits: switches, feedback, and logic-like behavior (conceptual).
• Chassis selection concepts: bacteria, yeast, algae—selection criteria and constraints.

Module 3: Design–Build–Test–Learn (DBTL) for Sustainable Innovation

• Design: turning sustainability goals into biological functions and testable hypotheses.
• Build (conceptual): assembly strategies, standardization ideas, and documentation habits.
• Test: assays and measurements (conceptual) aligned to KPIs and reproducibility.
• Learn: iteration, debugging, and data-driven improvement loops.

Module 4: Pathway Engineering and Biomanufacturing (High-Level)

• Metabolic pathways: inputs → intermediates → outputs; tuning yield and productivity concepts.
• Bioproduction examples: bio-based chemicals, bioplastics, enzymes, and natural pigments.
• Fermentation overview: upstream/downstream concepts, feedstocks, and contamination risk.
• Scale-up constraints: consistency, supply chain, quality control, and economics (overview).

Module 5: SynBio for Circular Economy and Waste-to-Value

• Waste streams: agricultural residues, food waste, wastewater nutrients, and industrial byproducts (overview).
• Valorization logic: converting waste carbon into useful products.
• Enzyme and microbial conversion concepts: depolymerization, biotransformation, and resource recovery.
• Design constraints: toxicity, variability of feedstocks, and process stability.

Module 6: SynBio for Water, Soil, and Environmental Monitoring

• Bioremediation concepts: biodegradation, sequestration, immobilization, and biofilms (high-level).
• Environmental biosensors: input signal → circuit → output; sensitivity/specificity and calibration concepts.
• Monitoring workflows: integrating bio-signals with digital systems and reporting formats.
• Field realities: containment, verification, and community trust considerations.

Module 7: Biosafety-by-Design, Ethics, and Governance

• Biosafety basics: hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation planning.
• Biocontainment concepts: physical containment, kill-switch logic, auxotrophy (overview).
• Ethical design: transparency, consent, and environmental justice considerations.
• Regulatory awareness: documentation expectations and responsible communication (overview).

Module 8: Sustainability Measurement, LCA Thinking, and Impact Validation

• Impact logic: defining baselines, comparing alternatives, and identifying rebound risks.
• Lifecycle thinking: feedstock sourcing, energy use, waste outputs, and end-of-life planning.
• Verification: evidence-based reporting, uncertainty, and reproducibility.
• Communication: turning technical performance into decision-ready insights.

Module 9: Case Studies and Future Directions

• Case studies: bio-based materials, carbon-to-value concepts, wastewater nutrient recovery, sustainable agriculture inputs (overview).
• Emerging trends: cell-free systems, engineered consortia, and AI-assisted design (conceptual).
• Integration with smart systems: sensors + IoT + digital twins for sustainability programs.
• Responsible scaling: from prototype to pilot to deployment.

Final Project

• Create a Synthetic Biology Sustainable Solutions Blueprint for a chosen sustainability problem.
• Include: problem definition, conceptual SynBio approach, DBTL plan, safety/containment strategy, validation KPIs, and lifecycle impact reasoning.
• Example projects: enzyme-based plastic depolymerization concept, wastewater nutrient recovery strategy, biosensor-driven water quality monitoring plan, bio-based material pathway concept, or a waste-to-value bioprocess blueprint.