Theme 3 research goes beyond engineering sub-cellular circuitry and explores the design of multi-cellular systems with bespoke functionalities.

Engineered synthetic microbial communities comprise (multiple) defined species that are functionally interlinked using rationally engineered metabolic, genetic and physical interactions. The resulting systems provide catalytic activities of industrial value or in situ delivery of bioactive molecules.

Recent Publications

WISB Theme 3 Researcher, Dr Munehiro Asally, has contributed to a paper published in Nature. Liu et. al., Metabolic co-dependence gives rise to collective oscillations within biofilms, Nature 2015, doi:10.1038/nature14660