This project is a multi-institutional collaboration in which we plan to investigate a new soft-logic approach for creating ?designer gene? circuits. Genetic circuits are crafted in the laboratory using genomic building blocks, and are used to control specific behaviors in engineered bacteria. A major research challenge for genetic circuits is that there is a high level of randomness in the cell?s internal environment. Belief networks provide a well-defined solution for handling the effects of randomness in genetic systems. We propose to study how belief networks can be applied to control and even exploit randomness to achieve new and useful genetic behaviors. Our research results will be used to improve a software application for genetic design called iBioSim.
There are many anticipated benefits for synthetic genetic circuits, including industrial, environmental, and medical applications. For example, bacteria can theoretically be engineered to clean oil spills, kill tumors, and deliver medicines, but only if we can precisely control when and how the bacteria perform their functions. Our investigation will illuminate the unique challenges involved in controlling highly random bacterial systems and will provide the community with rigorous theory and practicable techniques that resolve these challenges.
