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Review
. 2014 Apr;15(4):289-94.
doi: 10.1038/nrm3767. Epub 2014 Mar 12.

Realizing the potential of synthetic biology

George M Church  1 , Michael B Elowitz  2 , Christina D Smolke  3 , Christopher A Voigt  4 , Ron Weiss  5
Affiliations
Review

Realizing the potential of synthetic biology

George M Church et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2014 Apr.

Abstract

Synthetic biology, despite still being in its infancy, is increasingly providing valuable information for applications in the clinic, the biotechnology industry and in basic molecular research. Both its unique potential and the challenges it presents have brought together the expertise of an eclectic group of scientists, from cell biologists to engineers. In this Viewpoint article, five experts discuss their views on the future of synthetic biology, on its main achievements in basic and applied science, and on the bioethical issues that are associated with the design of new biological systems.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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