WHAT IS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY?
Synthetic biology is the design and construction of new biological parts, devices and systems that do not exist in the natural world and also the redesign of existing biological systems to perform specific tasks. Advances in nano scale technologies – manipulation of matter at the level of atoms and molecules – are contributing to advances in synthetic biology.

Honestly, I'd never heard the term synthetic biology until I became involved with OK ArtScience Prize. But the more I learned about it, the more intrigued I became. I suppose the best thing I like about it is that the everyday person can participate. I could create a mini lab in my kitchen with items ordered from the internet!  That's incredible. The pairing of the science of genetics and the art of designing or revising dna makes the potential of synthetic biology both exciting and frankly a little scary. But everything of real worth has risks.  I am anxious to watch how our students deal with this issue.