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Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution


Recent Advances in Synthetic Biology (press release)


The last half century of medical research has placed chemical structures behind much of biology, including human disease, the human genome, and the origin of life. Scientists at the Foundation have contributed broadly to these activities through innovative and polydisciplinary research in fields as diverse as chemistry, informatics, biology, geology, and astronomy. We are now taking the next steps, to place biological chemistry within its larger "systems" context, from the cell to the organism, and from there to the ecosystem and the planet. Emerging from this are new tools for systems biology and personalized medicine, as well as answers to some "big" questions: Where did we come from? What is our future? Are we alone?

Latest News and Events

• April 6, 2009. Paleogenetics: A Quarter Century Old. The spring of 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the first paper taking steps to resurrect ancient genes and proteins from extinct organisms to test historical hypotheses and join natural history to the physical sciences. These first steps in the laboratory of Steven Benner, then at Harvard but now at the FfAME, opened the new field of experimental paleogenetics. Today, over two dozen paleogenetics studies have helped us understand how humans adapted to alcohol, dinosaurs saw colors, and bacterial life originated.

• March 23, 2009. Twenty Five Years of Synthetic Biology. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of a paper reporting the first total synthesis of a gene encoding an enzyme. The gene was made in the Benner group by Krishnan Nambiar, Joseph Stackhouse, Dora Stauffer and John Eldredge. Today, the chemical synthesis of a gene is routine, using the strategy described in this pioneering work.

• February 25, 2009. Scientists at the Foundation discuss recent research on synthetic biology, DNA, and medicine. Watch the video.

• February 15, 2009. FfAME scientists announce an artificial chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution. Read the press release.

• February 12, 2009. Happy 200th Birthday, Charles Darwin!

• January 1, 2009. In the new year, the FfAME will be distributing copies of the new book by Dr. Steven Benner titled: Life, the Universe, and the Scientific Method for an introductory price of $34.95 plus shipping and handling. For information, please contact Romaine Hughes.

• December 31, 2008. The year 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. FfAME scientists will participate in festive and scientific events around the world to mark this anniversary, including the Darwin Day hosted by the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, North Carolina on February 21, the Molecular Evolution Conference at McMaster University in Canada, May 25-29, and the "Evolving Evolution" symposium at Harvard, October 8 and 9.

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Press Coverage

• EarthSky: Steven Benner: incremental step to artificial life
April 27, 2009

• Science Magazine (Origins blog): NESCent Symposium Covers Applied Evolution.
February 26, 2009

• The Economist: The lonely planet guide.
February 19, 2009

• MSNBC: Search for 'alien life' could start on Earth.
February 17, 2009

• Seed Magazine: Excitement and Caution at AAAS.
February 17, 2009

• FOX News: New Artificial DNA Points to Alien Life.
February 16, 2009

• Wired (blog): The Hunt for E.T. Comes Home — to Earth.
February 15, 2009

• Live Science: New Artificial DNA Points to Alien Life.
February 14, 2009

• EarthSky (kids): What would alien life look like?
November 09, 2007

• EarthSky: If we found alien life, would we know it?
November 07, 2007

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