The Myth of Magic Engineering Cell-free Biology for Sustainable Hydrogen Production and Novel Influenza Vaccines

UW Chemical Engineering
Autumn 2012

The Myth of Magic: Engineering Cell-free Biology for
Sustainable Hydrogen Production and Novel
Influenza Vaccines
James R. Swartz
James H. Clark Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of
Bioengineering, Stanford University

Date: Monday, Nov. 19, 2012

Time: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Place: PAA A110

Biology is amazing! The closer we look, the more we are awed by its versatility,
durability, and complexity. But, it is NOT magic. As we learn more about its
fundamental operational principles, amazing potential emerges for addressing
daunting societal challenges. This is especially true for cell-fee biology, the
activation of complex biological processes without living cells. To illustrate this
potential, this talk will describe a new vision for cell-free metabolic engineering that,
for the first time, would allow precise real time control of metabolic fluxes. A new,
highly productive approach for sustainable hydrogen production will also be
presented as well as progress toward a novel influenza vaccine that could be
unusually potent as well as broadly protective. Even though these applications are
very different, they can all be addressed by the power of cell-free biochemical
engineering.