January, a month for reflection and decision making. Time to evaluate last year’s achievements and to set new goals for this new one! 2017 was for sure a year full of successful Synbio moments, and while we wait for 2018 to bring us more here you have our closing selection of the year with December’s top 10 stories

  1.  A,C,G, T meet X & Y! Expanding life’s alphabet and its catalogue of proteins! #SynBio

If four letters were not enough to write the book of life, now researches from the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, have added two more characters into nature’s keyboard. These artificial bases can be successfully incorporated into the genome of engineered bacteria en even be translated into new viable proteins! Read more >

 

  1. Can #SynBio help solving the global food crisis? This doctor thinks so!

In a world with a swiftly growing population the food demand increases steeply! Meat remains at the very top of the menus worldwide making it impracticable to meet this high demand in a sustainable way. Changes in our eating habits combined with new approaches to the way that we produce meat can help! Here is how >

 

  1. From the lab to your shopping bag! #Biotech innovations for your daily life!

Cow-free milk, meatless meat or self-growing lamps are some of the latest biotechnological innovations that made it out of the lab to get straight to your shopping cart!  Read more>

 

  1. From eco-friendly dyes to new resistant materials, #synbio is becoming the latest fashion trend! @TEDTalks By @NatsaiAudrey

Meet Natsai Audrey, a designer that wants to make a difference in the way fashion is made: keep creating unique fashion items while reducing the pollution of this contaminating industry. With a little bit of Synthetic Biology, Natsai explores new eco-friendly pigments that reduce the use of water and chemical waste! Watch her video >

 

  1. Is it time for a CRISPR update? New features available for this genetic editor! Listen to these MIT and Harvard experts explaining all about CRISPR 2.0! @scifri

Many keep talking about CRISPR as “the new” genetic tool that will revolutionise the way we approach genetic engineering. But actually, CRISPR has been out there for a while now, more precisely since the early 2000’s. Since then, much progress has been made and to date, a new wave of features and possibilities is further expanding the potential of this tool. Welcome CRISPR 2.0! Listen to the podcast>

 

  1. 3D printing comes to live! Using #bacteria to produce new biomaterials

3D printers are mesmerizing, and this one even more! Researcher from the ETH Zürich have developed this printer that uses living bio-ink made of bacteria to print 3D materials with great biotechnological and medical applications. Read more >

 

  1. Feel like spiderman wearing this yeast-made spider-silk hat! Real #SynBio fashion!

Synthetic spider silk is carving its niche in the market with a smashing success. Although it is still a quite exclusive and expensive material, this fibre will be available in many everyday-products like shoes or coats in a near future. But don’t worry, while we wait, you can already have this spider silk beanie to keep you warm during the cold winter. Read more >

 

  1. #SynBio unicorns are real. Here is the proof.

Apart from a legendary creature with a lustrous horn, the term unicorn is used in the business world to refer to startups that are valued at $1 billion or more. The terms was first used in 2013, when these companies were still considered as rare as the mythological beasts. Since then many companies have joined the unicorn club, and recently, the synbio company Ginkgo Bioworks has done too! Read more >

 

  1. #Microbes are beautiful and smart! watch them grow in just one click.

When it comes to microorganisms we know we are not objective, we are simply fascinated by these tiny creatures. If you are still doubtful, have a look at these images from the Kolter lab and convince yourself! To the pictures >

 

  1. 2017 was a great #SynBio year. What will 2018 hold?  

At Twist Bioscience they like synthetic biology stories as much as we do! They have done a selection of their best synbio moments of the year and we love it. What is your personal top 10? Read more >