Synthetic Biological Construction: Beyond ‘bioinspired’ in the design of new materials and fabrication systems

This paper introduces the concept of Synthetic Biological Construction through our project Computational Colloids. The paper suggests a framework for Synthetic Biology to be integrated with Civil Engineering. Through in vivo (in the living) and in silico (digital computational) work, we describe the first steps towards a system that integrates the analysis and synthesis of material construction through engineered biological agents. It is proposed here that such a system would lead to a new paradigm in engineering design.