Genetic/bio design automation for (re-)engineering biological systems

Constructing biological circuits in a bottom-up modular fashion using design methodologies similar to those used in electronics has gained tremendous attention in the past decade. The end goal, however, is engineering biological systems and not only individual components in the context of pursuing applications useful in improving human health or enhancing the environment. This article reviews the basics of biological system design rooted in Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology and outlines current system-level modeling, analysis, optimization, and synthesis with emphasis on some current bottlenecks in establishing more rigorous design tools and methodologies for engineering biological systems.