Synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is a subfield of biology and engineering concerned -- as a goal or side effect -- with the construction of artificial life forms for technological, medical or research purposes.

Different approaches exist to achieve such constructions. For example, nucleic acid bases may be modified, genes knocked in or out, cells or tissue transgrafted or organs transplanted.

At a more fundamental level, self-replicative systems other than nucleic acids and proteins may be constructed, or the carbon-based biology we know from our planet may be replaced experimentally by a kind of life based on other elements, notably silicon.