Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials

Abstract After more than 20 years of development, synthetic biology has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that integrates biology, medicine, mathematics, and engineering. By constructing and regulating genetic elements, networks, and pathways, artificially engineered bacteria, cells, or viruses...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tao Xu, Xiao‐Yun Huang, Jin‐Wei Dao, Da Xiao, Dai‐Xu Wei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-07-01
Series:Interdisciplinary Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/INMD.20240087
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849728946136940544
author Tao Xu
Xiao‐Yun Huang
Jin‐Wei Dao
Da Xiao
Dai‐Xu Wei
author_facet Tao Xu
Xiao‐Yun Huang
Jin‐Wei Dao
Da Xiao
Dai‐Xu Wei
author_sort Tao Xu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract After more than 20 years of development, synthetic biology has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that integrates biology, medicine, mathematics, and engineering. By constructing and regulating genetic elements, networks, and pathways, artificially engineered bacteria, cells, or viruses can directly interact with the human body to enable disease treatment via synthetic biology. Additionally, synthetic biology platforms have been employed in the production of medical biomaterials (MBMs), indirectly contributing to the maintenance of human health. In this review, we present a range of typical MBMs derived from synthetic biology platforms, including polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, hyaluronic acid, collagen, poly(β‐hydroxybutyrate), poly(β‐malic acid), poly‐γ‐glutamic acid, alginate, chitosan, bacterial cellulose, and antimicrobial peptides. We also introduce the key synthetic biology techniques and tools involved, such as chassis cell design, gene expression regulation and editing tools represented by CRISPRi, metabolic engineering, cell morphology engineering, and cell‐free systems. Furthermore, we summarize recent advancements and strategies including enhancing production and cost‐reduction, biosynthesis of novel materials, regulating material characteristics and diversity, minimizing toxicity in biosynthetic systems, and designing engineered living materials in the research applications and clinical translation of synthetic biology for MBMs. Finally, we discuss emerging trends that may shape the future biomedical applications of synthetic biology.
format Article
id doaj-art-c461b2dae9384a1e9ef98ddba0468ad3
institution DOAJ
issn 2832-6245
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Wiley-VCH
record_format Article
series Interdisciplinary Medicine
spelling doaj-art-c461b2dae9384a1e9ef98ddba0468ad32025-08-20T03:09:24ZengWiley-VCHInterdisciplinary Medicine2832-62452025-07-0134n/an/a10.1002/INMD.20240087Synthetic biology for medical biomaterialsTao Xu0Xiao‐Yun Huang1Jin‐Wei Dao2Da Xiao3Dai‐Xu Wei4School of Clinical Medicine Qujing Medical College Qujing ChinaSchool of Clinical Medicine Qujing Medical College Qujing ChinaDehong Biomedical Engineering Research Center Dehong Normal University Dehong Yunnan ChinaDepartment of Chemical System Engineering School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Bunkyō JapanClinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University Chengdu University Chengdu Sichuan ChinaAbstract After more than 20 years of development, synthetic biology has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that integrates biology, medicine, mathematics, and engineering. By constructing and regulating genetic elements, networks, and pathways, artificially engineered bacteria, cells, or viruses can directly interact with the human body to enable disease treatment via synthetic biology. Additionally, synthetic biology platforms have been employed in the production of medical biomaterials (MBMs), indirectly contributing to the maintenance of human health. In this review, we present a range of typical MBMs derived from synthetic biology platforms, including polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, hyaluronic acid, collagen, poly(β‐hydroxybutyrate), poly(β‐malic acid), poly‐γ‐glutamic acid, alginate, chitosan, bacterial cellulose, and antimicrobial peptides. We also introduce the key synthetic biology techniques and tools involved, such as chassis cell design, gene expression regulation and editing tools represented by CRISPRi, metabolic engineering, cell morphology engineering, and cell‐free systems. Furthermore, we summarize recent advancements and strategies including enhancing production and cost‐reduction, biosynthesis of novel materials, regulating material characteristics and diversity, minimizing toxicity in biosynthetic systems, and designing engineered living materials in the research applications and clinical translation of synthetic biology for MBMs. Finally, we discuss emerging trends that may shape the future biomedical applications of synthetic biology.https://doi.org/10.1002/INMD.20240087biomaterialsengineered living materialsmedicinesynthetic biologytissue engineering
spellingShingle Tao Xu
Xiao‐Yun Huang
Jin‐Wei Dao
Da Xiao
Dai‐Xu Wei
Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
Interdisciplinary Medicine
biomaterials
engineered living materials
medicine
synthetic biology
tissue engineering
title Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
title_full Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
title_fullStr Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
title_full_unstemmed Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
title_short Synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
title_sort synthetic biology for medical biomaterials
topic biomaterials
engineered living materials
medicine
synthetic biology
tissue engineering
url https://doi.org/10.1002/INMD.20240087
work_keys_str_mv AT taoxu syntheticbiologyformedicalbiomaterials
AT xiaoyunhuang syntheticbiologyformedicalbiomaterials
AT jinweidao syntheticbiologyformedicalbiomaterials
AT daxiao syntheticbiologyformedicalbiomaterials
AT daixuwei syntheticbiologyformedicalbiomaterials