Synthetic biology combines science and engineering in order to design, build and test novel biological functions and systems. As with any multi-disciplinary field, there is a rapidly-growing body of literature concerning synthetic biology and locating the best information or identifying the hottest topics can be time-consuming. This volume captures the expanding primary literature in the form of critical and comprehensive reviews providing the reader with an authoritative digest of the latest developments in this emerging field. Each chapter strives to highlight the most recent findings in specific sub-areas and reviews research reports that were published over the last two to three years. Leading researchers draw material from both dedicated journals and broader sources, revising traditional concepts in light of emerging discoveries while keeping up with recent progress, making this an essential reference to any library supporting this research.

Synthetic biology is a new area of biological research that combines science and engineering in order to design and build novel biological functions and systems. The definition of synthetic biology has been generally accepted as the engineering of biology: the synthesis of complex, biologically based (or inspired) systems, which display functions that do not exist in nature. This engineering perspective may be applied at all levels of the hierarchy of biological structures from individual molecules to whole cells, tissues and organisms. As with any multi-disciplinary field, there is an immense and rapidly-growing body of literature concerning synthetic biology, with several dedicated journals now available. However, locating the best information, or identifying the hottest topics can be time-consuming. This Specialist Periodical Report presents critical and comprehensive reviews of the recent literature in themed chapters prepared by invited authors from across the globe. The series editors are active in the field, ensuring that the most valuable information is presented in an authoritative manner.