Exploring standards for multicellular mammalian synthetic biology

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Mammalian systems engineering
• Bioengineering standards

Background:

• Synthetic biology is advancing towards engineering multicellular mammalian systems.
• Applications include tissue engineering, biomedicine, and the food industry.
• The field currently lacks a standardized framework, hindering progress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the landscape of standards for multicellular mammalian synthetic biology.
• To identify limitations in current technical standards.
• To propose a framework for developing necessary standards.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing the current state of standards in multicellular mammalian synthetic biology.
• Categorizing unaddressed parameters using an abstraction hierarchy.
• Defining 'synthetic multicellular mammalian systems' and applying the proposed framework.

Main Results:

• Identified limitations in existing technical standards.
• Proposed an abstraction hierarchy for unaddressed parameters.
• Demonstrated the utility of a standard hierarchy framework for bioengineering.

Conclusions:

• A critical and holistic consideration of standards is needed.
• Cross-disciplinary dialogue is essential for developing effective standards.
• Promising future research directions were identified to shape the field.