你将学到什么
How fundamental engineering principles apply to living cells.
What engineering principles can tells us about how cells function.
Established and emerging, equations, models, and design curves that can be used to tune, re-engineer, or build new cells.
A framework for measuring and controlling cells as microdevices.
An introduction to emerging biohybrid devices.
课程概况
Living cells have unique functions that can be harnessed by engineers to tackle human problems in energy, water, food, and health.
Historically living cells were considered too difficult to predictably engineer because of their complexity, vulnerability, and continuous change in state. The elucidation of the design principles that underlie cell function along with increasing numbers of examples of hybrid cell based devices are slowly erasing that notion.
In this class you will be learn about these established and emerging cellular design principles and begin to view cells as machines. This knowledge can also then be applied to non-living devices that mimic and communicate with cells. You will also be introduced to current and emerging living/non-living biohybrid devices such as biohybrid robots and neural implants.
课程大纲
Module 1: Introduction
Cells by the Numbers
Cell as a Machine
Bioinspiration: The Photoreceptor as an organic microdevice
Module 2: Cell Architecture
Cell & Organelle Size
Organelle Number
Biological Networks
Module 3: Gene Expression & Circuits
Intro to Transcription Networks
Simple Model of Gene Expression
Protein Half Lives
Autoregulation
Feedforward Loops
Module 4: Cell Dynamics
Basic Tools for Nonlinear Dynamics of Cells
Gene switches
Biological Oscillations
Module 5: Cellular Devices
Intro to Living Biohybrids
Cell Device Biointerface
Cells as Sensors
Cells as Actuators
Cell - Device Integration
Module 6: The Future
Synthetic Life
Applications of Biohybrids
Ethics and Society
预备知识
A basic knowledge in cell biology and math up to calculus and differential equations
Anyone with knowledge of undergraduate engineering or science could successfully take the course
