20 December 2016

Season's Greetings from Center for Synthetic Biology 2016

Highlights of 2016

2016 is almost over and it is such a pleasure to look back at all the great achievements of this year. We have collected some of the highlights for you to enjoy. Center for Synthetic Biology wishes everyone happy holidays and look forward to welcoming 2017.

Microalgae as biofactories to produce active compounds

Every day in December the UCPH alumni research advent calender invites a scientist to present their research. Agnieszka Z Nielsen and her work on photosynthesis and metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of medicinal compounds was featured on December 17. Link here ...>


Synbio Center Scientists in SCIENCE

Center for Synthetic Biology scientists publishes a ground-breaking study in SCIENCE detailing the until-now elusive mechanism that enables plants to produce fast, tight and targeted production of chemical defense compounds. SCIENCE commentary calls the study a watershed. 
Link here ...>

Bo Wegge Laursen was awarded the 2016 Innovation Prize

The 2016 Innovation Prize was awarded to spin-out projects that have raised millions in venture capital, established collaboration with Danish industry heavyweights and involved students in the journey from basic research to the sale of optical sensors and colourants. Link here ...>

Culture, Identity and Citizenship

New book on Science Communication describes current practices in science communication, from citizen science to Twitter storms, celebrating the diversity through case studies and examples. The authors Prof. Horst and Davies reflect on how scholars and practitioners can gain better insight into science communication through new analytical methods and perspectives. Link here ...>

Timo Minssen appointed Professor in Biotechnology Law

Timo Minssen is a highly recognized international authority with several publications covering the interface of intellectual property law, competition law and medicinal law. His research has a strong interdisciplinary focus on new technologies in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors and cover a wide range of legal issues in the life cycle of biotechnology products and processes. Inaugural lecture was on Nov 28. Link here ...>

World leading Excellence

An international review panel appointed to carry out the midterm evaluation of our bioSYNergy project finds evidence of world-leading excellence in several parts of the project. 
Link here ...>

CosmoCrops gets NASA’s attention

The team won a bronze medal in the World Championship in Synthetic Biology for students and is invited by NASA to join them at Ames Research Center, US. 
Link here ...>

ARTiS 2016 photo contest

Scientist and students participated by sharing their beautiful science pictures and a committee headed by Karen Martinez awarded the best photos. Link here ...>

TychoBio introduces new biotechnology

A new way of farming is finding its way to the Danish biotech industry introducing the production of valuable and rare chemical compounds through the use of mosses. This light-driven biosynthesis brings many years’ worth of research out of the lab and provides an alternative to previous petroleum-based and space consuming processes. Link here ...>

Bacteria’s Achilles heel uncovered by single molecule chemistry

Drug resistant bacteria are fast becoming one of the big worries of the 21 century. Nikos Hatzakis et al. discovered a previously unknown weakness; an “Achilles heel”, of bacteria. Their discovery, a crucial step in bacteria’s energy metabolism, may be the first step in developing an entirely novel form of antibiotics. Link here ...>