Systems biology and Synthetic biology: creating is understanding - Experts in Teamwork
Systems biology and Synthetic biology: creating is understanding
The EiT village theme explores the use of 'Systems Biology' and 'Synthetic Biology' approaches to solve problems in society related to sustainability, growth and health. These new types of approaches for biological research involve the analysis of the design and working of biological systems, and the use of the obtained knowledge to design new biological systems that are sometimes better or more efficient than what nature has come up with (synthetic biology). Reflection on ethical and societal issues related to synthetic biology, especially about the types of experiments or novel organisms that should or should not be allowed are especially relevant for the village.
Relevant competencies
The theme of the village gives the students flexibility to design many different ypes of projects, and the nature of systems approaches in biology calls for teams that have a wide range of different skills, primarily from the ‘exact’ sciences (biology, biotechnology, biomedical sciences, mathematics, physics), but may also include students from the humanities (e.g. ethics, philosophy, social sciences). The potential impact of synthetic biology on industry and society makes this village very well suited for multidisciplinary team work.
About the Village
The village teams may use a variety of resources (including software tools) to develop and discuss new ideas to solve specific societal or sustainability issues. The work may involve biological process modeling with computational tools, or more descriptive approaches to illustrate how synthetic biology might lead for instance to improved health or a cleaner environment. Projects may focus on e.g. improving the production of oil by microorganisms, the production of wood by poplar trees, or the production of totally new antibiotics that are dearly needed for battling infectious diseases. Village teams will receive input from The Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board ‘Bioteknologinemnda', in particular about ethical and societal issues. The project may result in a formal report, or other forms like a brochure, magazine, movie, blog, etc.
Important information about EiT:
- The focus on teamwork skills and group processes is the unique feature of Experts in Teamwork (EiT)
- EiTs teaching methods depend on the contribution and presence of every participant throughout the semester. For this reason, attendance is compulsory on every village day.
- In contrast to many courses, the first few days are especially important in EiT. During this period, get to know each other and discuss what each individual can contribute. You will also draw up the compulsory cooperation agreement and start preparing a shared research question.
- For additional information about Experts in Teamwork, see page for students