Synthetic biology for pharmaceutical drug discovery

We offer a path-centric theory of emerging technology and organizing that addresses a basic question. When does emerging technology lead to transformative change? A path-centric perspective on technology focuses on the patterns of actions afforded by technology in use. We identify performing and patterning as self-reinforcing mechanisms that shape patterns of action in the domain of emerging technology and organizing. We use a dynamic simulation to show that performing and patterning can lead to a wide range of trajectories, from lock-in to transformation, depending on how emerging technology in use influences the pattern of action. When emerging technologies afford new actions that can be flexibly recombined to generate new paths, decisive transformative effects are more likely. By themselves, new affordances are not likely to generate transformation. We illustrate this theory with examples from the practice of pharmaceutical drug discovery. The path-centric perspective offers a new way to think about generativity and the role of affordances in organizing.

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Natural Products and Synthetic Biology: Where We Are and Where We Need To Go

mSystems ◽

10.1128/msystems.00113-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sylvia Kunakom ◽

Alessandra S. Eustáquio

Keyword(s):

Natural Products ◽

Drug Discovery ◽

Synthetic Biology ◽

Genome Sequencing ◽

Scientific Community ◽

Microbial Metabolites ◽

Bacterial Genomes ◽

Cholesterol Lowering

ABSTRACT The biosynthetic talent of microorganisms has been harnessed for drug discovery for almost a century. Microbial metabolites not only account for the majority of antibiotics available today, but have also led to anticancer, immunosuppressant, and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Yet, inherent challenges of natural products—including inadequate supply and difficulties with structure diversification—contributed to their deprioritization as a source of pharmaceuticals. In recent years, advances in genome sequencing and synthetic biology spurred a renewed interest in natural products. Bacterial genomes encode an abundance of natural products awaiting discovery. Synthetic biology can facilitate not only discovery and improvements in supply, but also structure diversification. This perspective highlights prior accomplishments in the field of synthetic biology and natural products by the scientific community at large, including research from our laboratory. We also provide our opinion as to where we need to go to continue advancing the field.

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Integrating the whole from the sum of the parts: vignettes in computational biology

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences ◽

10.1042/etls20170137 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 241-243

Author(s):

Jeffrey Skolnick

Keyword(s):

Deep Learning ◽

Drug Discovery ◽

Synthetic Biology ◽

Personalized Medicine ◽

Computational Biology ◽

Biological Systems ◽

Deep Understanding ◽

Biological Processes ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Biological Variables

As is typical of contemporary cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields, computational biology touches and impacts many disciplines ranging from fundamental studies in the areas of genomics, proteomics transcriptomics, lipidomics to practical applications such as personalized medicine, drug discovery, and synthetic biology. This editorial examines the multifaceted role computational biology plays. Using the tools of deep learning, it can make powerful predictions of many biological variables, which may not provide a deep understanding of what factors contribute to the phenomena. Alternatively, it can provide the how and the why of biological processes. Most importantly, it can help guide and interpret what experiments and biological systems to study.

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Spotlight

Asia-Pacific Biotech News ◽

10.1142/s0219030319000624 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (09) ◽

pp. 32-42

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Drug Discovery ◽

Fine Tuning ◽

Pharmaceutical Drug ◽

Cell Manufacturing

The following topics are under this section: Thailand Medtech landscape – Customer to Innovator Fine-tuning Cell Manufacturing through Critical Analytics The life cycle of pharmaceutical drug discovery – from bench to bedside

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