Frontiers in Synthetic Biology is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses research, engineering, and technoscience. Its fundamental premise is that living cells, tissues, and organisms can be regarded as miniature programmable production units. In this analogy, DNA functions as the software that governs the synthesis of proteins, metabolites, and various small and complex molecules, collectively akin to its hardware. Realizing these objectives requires the integration of diverse disciplines, including biological, chemical, software, and mechatronic engineering. It also draws on fundamental sciences such as chemistry, biology, statistics, artificial intelligence, and biophysics, all converging under the umbrella of synthetic biology.

Led by Field Chief Editor Ned Budisa from the University of Manitoba, Frontiers in Synthetic Biology understands the significance of being an open-access publisher and aims to contribute positively to the widespread dissemination of research in synthetic biology by bridging the gap between bioengineering, industrial research, and basic sciences, leveraging the interdisciplinary nature of the field.

The journal aims to encompass various topics, including:

crop engineering
ecosystems and biodiversity sustainability
genetic systems and circuit design
metabolic engineering (synthetic metabolism)
orthogonal biological systems
protein and RNA engineering
synthetic microbiology

The journal welcomes high-quality submissions that support and advance research conducted on both in vitro platforms, including microfluidic devices with a particular emphasis on bottom-up synthetic biology, as well as in vivo studies encompassing viruses, bacteria, mammals, plants, and animals in laboratory settings or environmental contexts. We recognize the significance of the integration of biology and digital technologies, which we anticipate will be a major focal point for humanity in the coming decades. This encompasses theoretical and in silico papers that present novel models, tools, and concepts, along with scientific proof-of-principle demonstrations and bioengineering advancements.

Special perspective articles will be dedicated to iGEM student teams, companies, and observers from various fields, particularly the social sciences, providing a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in exploring the educational, industrial, and societal dimensions and implications of synthetic biology.

Considering the inherent interdisciplinarity of synthetic biology, which often blurs the boundaries with other related research areas and biotechnology, we acknowledge the challenge of clearly differentiating it. To address this, we will foster close collaborations with Frontiers sister journals. This collaborative approach will ensure that we work together to minimize any potential overlap in research coverage, thereby optimizing the publication landscape in the field of synthetic biology.

Volume 1 - 2023

Evolving a mitigation of the stress response pathway to change the basic chemistry of life