Open AccessBringing next‐generation diagnostics to the clinic through synthetic biology
Author(s) -
Courbet Alexis,
Renard Eric,
Molina Franck
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
embo molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.923
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1757-4684
pISSN - 1757-4676
DOI - 10.15252/emmm.201606541
Subject(s) - synthetic biology , precision medicine , computer science , personalized medicine , interface (matter) , data science , risk analysis (engineering) , nanotechnology , systems engineering , medicine , bioinformatics , engineering , biology , pathology , materials science , bubble , maximum bubble pressure method , parallel computing
The promise for real precision medicine is contingent on innovative technological solutions to diagnosis and therapy. In the post‐genomic era, rational and systematic approaches to biological design could provide new ways to dynamically probe, monitor, and interface human pathophysiology. Emerging as a mature field increasingly transitioning to the clinics, synthetic biology integrates engineering principles to build sensors, control circuits, and actuators within the biological substrate according to clinical specifications. A particularly tantalizing goal is to develop novel versatile, programmable and autonomous diagnostic devices intertwined with therapy and personalized for the patient to get closest, finest, and most comprehensive diagnostic information and medical procedures. Here, we discuss how synthetic biology could be preparing the future of medicine, supporting and speeding up the development of diagnostics with novel capabilities to bring direct improvement from the clinical laboratory to the patient, while addressing healthcare evolution and global health concerns.