Synthetic biology is a multidisciplinary area of research that seeks to create new biological parts, devices, and systems, or to redesign systems that are already found in nature. It combines principles from biology, engineering, genetics, chemistry, and computer science to build artificial biological systems for useful purposes, such as producing biofuels, manufacturing drugs, or sensing environmental toxins.
The term was coined by Stéphane Leduc in 1910, but the field as we know it today was established in the early 2000s with the design of genetic circuits like the 'toggle switch' and the 'repressilator'.
Synthetic biology has rapidly expanded, influencing diverse fields including medicine (e.g., CAR-T cell therapy for cancer), agriculture (engineered crops for better yield or resistance), and industrial biotechnology (sustainable production of chemicals and materials).