The cell is the fundamental unit of life, our understanding of which is growing at a rapid rate, but still there is a vast amount we need to learn before we truly understand the cell. Each cell contains a complex system of circuits and chemical pathways that are so interconnected, it is difficult to change something without the whole system changing.

To understand the chemical pathways further, we must change the genes of a cell, which in turn modifies the proteins that are responsible for the chemical reactions. As a result, we can see the effects caused by altering different chemical pathways in the cell. An amazing area of research is 'striping back' the genes in a cell to see how few chemical pathways are necessary for survival, this is known as a 'minimal cell'. The minimal cell is incredibly useful in helping us understand genetics and understanding how we can manipulate biological systems with synthetic biology.

Synthetic biology is an incredibly exciting field of biology, which hopes to manipulate living organisms to benefit many important areas such as health, materials and fuels.

It was great to talk with Dr. Roy Moger-Reischer about his recent publication on the evolution of a minimal cell and the impacts of his work.