What is Build-A-Cell?
Cells are the fundamental "building blocks" that make up living organisms. Yet, we don't know exactly how cells were formed in the first place. We also don't know what all the molecules that make up any natural cell do. Finally, we can't yet put molecules together ourselves to make new synthetic cells.
Addressing the questions and challenges posed above requires significant collaboration and cooperation. The Build-a-Cell community welcomes all who wish to learn about and cooperate in the work of fully understanding and engineering a diversity of synthetic cells.
The future of biotechnology is in realizing fully understood, lineage agnostic organisms, beginning with single cells.
Building cells is hard. But, if we could better work together, then we should be able to build many cells for many purposes. Build-A-Cell is an open community supporting people working together to build a diversity of synthetic cells.
Why did we start Build-A-Cell?
Want to know more? Here’s a current, but brief overview of the synthetic cell field.
Comprehensive roadmap, summarizing recent progress, and defining the most urgent needs of our field: Building Synthetic Cells─From the Technology Infrastructure to Cellular Entities, ACS SynBio, March 26, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.3c00724
Build-A-Cell holds regular working meetings to drive the field forward.
WORKSHOPS
What are the Build a Cell Workshops?
Since 2017, Build a Cell has organized collaborative working meetings across the United States. Operating on the principle of “rough consensus and running codons”, the meetings are a space to share the forefront of cell-building research, brainstorm new ideas, establish and continue collaborations, and get collaborative work done in person. Build a Cell workshops have an open invitation policy—if you’re interested in the science, engineering, industry, ethics, or any other aspects of cell-building, we would love to see you there. Travel funding is available.
When are the Build A Cell Workshops?
Build a Cell workshops run approximately every six months, and are hosted by a rotating group of collaborators.
Full schedule and information about all workshops is here.
Build-a-Cell organizes two types of workshops: bi-annual large, all hands meetings, and thematic mini-workshops exploring single specific topic.
All workshops are open to all members and friends of Build-a-Cell community.
All workshops are free, there is no registration fee.
Mini-workshops on specific topics
Biosecurity Workshop I - considering safety and security of engineering synthetic cells. Link to workshop page.
Chemical Reaction Network modeling tutorials - link to info, recording and syllabus.
Find resources and information for building cells.
Synthetic cells 101
Collaboration
We believe in open source science and engineering, and collaborative development. Visit our engineering project for technical information, data, and analysis. Get in touch by joining the Slack.
If you’re interested in synthetic life research and would like to work with us, check out the job postings.
Working Groups
Most of Build-a-Cell activities happens in working groups. If you are interested in joining any of the working groups, contact the group lead.
If you’re curious why we’re doing what we’re doing, you can read about why we started Build-A-Cell.
We meet every week for online seminars.
Build-a-Cell seminar series
Build-a-cell seminar series
The virtual journal club / research seminar series features weekly talks on all things synthetic cell engineering.
Everyone can join, and anybody is invited to volunteer to give a seminar or discuss a paper.
If you want to be notified about schedule and changes to the seminars, sign up here
Full seminar schedule is available here. If you would like to present a paper or your own research, please sign up here: seminar application form
Connecting researchers at all stages of career.
Build-a-Cell mentorship program
Build-a-cell mentorship program
The Build-a-Cell community mentorship program connects people at different stages of career to share advice and experience.
Anybody can be a mentor! Most people have experience to share with those junior to them. If you are grad student, you could mentor an undergrad, etc.
Moving the field forward
Build-a-Cell working groups
Build-a-cell working groups
Most of Build-A-Cell activities are coordinated by working groups.
If you would like to join a working group or talk to group leaders, let us know through this form.
You can join any active working group. Some groups are actively soliciting new members, but you can get in touch with any group to see if they need a hand.
Build-A-Cell is an open collaboration working across the country and institutional divides.
TEAM
Who we are
Steering group, people responsible for all mistakes
Members and contributors, people getting the work done.
Worldwide collaborators, because building life is an international goal.
If you want to join the community working with one of the Build-A-Cell member labs, see job postings.
Build-A-Cell is looking for a coordinator! Details here.
Ready to help?
Get involved
