Synthetic Biology and Engineering

Guide for Authors Submit to SBE

Synthetic Biology in Therapeutics and Healthcare: Innovations and Applications

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025.

Guest Editors (4)

Mathias Foo
Dr. Mathias Foo 
School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
Interests: Systems and Synthetic Biology; Dynamical Modelling; Control Design of Biological System
Website: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/people/mathias_foo/
Jiandong Huang
Prof. Jiandong Huang 
School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hongkong, Hong Kong, China
Interests: Synthetic Biology; Intracellular Transportation; Genetic Engineering
Website: https://www.sbms.hku.hk/staff/jiandong-huang
Shuobo Shi
Dr. Shuobo Shi 
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
Interests: Metabolic Engineering; Synthetic Biology
Website: https://www.x-mol.com/groups/shuobo
Masahito Yamagata
Dr. Masahito Yamagata 
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Interests: Neural Circuit Formation; Adhesion Molecule; Extracellular Matrix; Connectomics; Synthetic Biology; Genome Editing; Recombinant Antibodies, Single-cell Transcriptomics
Website: https://masahitoyamagata-english.mystrikingly.com/

Special Issue Information

Topic Introduction

Synthetic biology is a rapidly evolving field that combines elements of engineering, biology, and AI/computer science to create and modify biological systems with unprecedented precision and control. This special issue aims to showcase the latest advancements in synthetic biology and their applications in therapeutics and healthcare. The collection will cover a broad range of topics, including gene editing technologies, engineered cells and tissues, novel drug delivery systems, microbiome engineering and the development of innovative diagnostic tools. Additionally, the issue will explore the ethical, legal, and social implications of synthetic biology in medicine and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the future of this exciting field. 

Keywords

  • Synthetic Biology
  • Therapeutics
  • Healthcare
  • Gene Editing
  • CRISPR
  • Engineered Cells
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Drug Delivery
  • Diagnostics
  • Ethics
  • Precision Medicine
  • Bioinformatics
  • Biotechnology

 

Published Papers (3 Papers)

Open Access

Review

27 December 2023

Deciphering the Code of Pattern Formation: Integrating In Silico and Wet Lab Approaches in Synthetic Biology

Pattern formation is a fundamental process in biological development, enabling the transformation of initially uniform or random states into spatially ordered structures. A comprehensive understanding of the formation and function of these patterns is crucial for unraveling the underlying principles of biological design and engineering. In recent years, synthetic biology has emerged as a powerful discipline for investigating and manipulating pattern formation in biological systems, involving the design and construction of novel biological components, circuits, and networks with specific functionalities. The integration of computational simulations (in silico) and experimental techniques (wet lab) in synthetic biology has significantly advanced our knowledge of pattern formation and its implications in biological design and engineering. This review provides an overview of the computational simulations employed in studying pattern formation and introduces the representative and cutting-edge experimental methods utilized in wet labs.

Anqi  Xu
Lizhong  Liu
Jian-Dong  Huang*
Synth. Biol. Eng.
2023,
1
(3), 10018; 
DOI: 10.35534/sbe.2023.10018
Open Access

Review

14 August 2024

Application of Synthetic Biology to the Biosynthesis of Polyketides

Polyketides (PKs) are a large class of secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms and plants, characterized by highly diverse structures and broad biological activities. They have wide market and application prospects in medicine, agriculture, and the food industry. The complex chemical structures and multiple steps of natural polyketides result in yield that cannot be met by purely synthetic methods. With the development of synthetic biology, a number of novel technologies and synthetic strategies have been developed for the efficient synthesis of polyketides. This paper first introduces polyketides from different sources and classifications, then the reconstruction of biosynthetic pathways is described using a “bottom-up” synthetic biology approach. Through methods such as enhancing precursors, relieving feedback inhibition, and dynamic regulation, the efficient production of polyketides is achieved. Finally, the challenges faced by polyketides research and future development directions are discussed.

Xia Chen
Xinying Li
Genlin Zhang*
Chao Wang*
Chun Li*
Synth. Biol. Eng.
2024,
2
(3), 10012; 
DOI: 10.35534/sbe.2024.10012
Open Access

Review

26 November 2025

Prebiotic and Probiotic Foods in MASLD: Microbiome-Mediated Therapeutic Strategies

Through the use of prebiotics and probiotics, fermented foods offer significant health benefits by enhancing host nutrition and microbiota composition while providing distinctive flavor profiles. Fermentation substantially alters the bioactive compounds in these foods compared to their natural state. Additionally, fermented foods contain probiotics that can modulate consumers’ gut microbiomes, which in turn regulate host biochemistry to help combat various metabolic diseases. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents a growing global health burden. Gut microbiome dysbiosis, combined with unbalanced nutritional intake, is considered a primary driver of disease pathogenesis. Fermented foods can modify the bioavailability of micronutrients—including carbohydrates, polyphenols, and vitamins—thereby influencing host metabolism. Moreover, the probiotics present in fermented foods, along with their modulatory effects on the gut microbiota, contribute to both the management and prevention of MASLD. Modern fermentation approaches, leveraging synthetic biology, systems biology, and metabolic engineering, can further maximize these health benefits. This review summarizes the components, bioactive compounds, and mechanistic pathways by which fermented foods influence the pathogenesis of MASLD, and highlights the potential applications of modern fermentation technologies to enhance their health-promoting properties.

Beiming Cui
Yujie Liu
Joyce  Hui-EunChang
Jieying Chen
Jiahang  Xu
Jian-Peng Teoh
Chun Loong Ho*
Synth. Biol. Eng.
2025,
3
(4), 10018; 
DOI: 10.70322/sbe.2025.10018
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