Summer School on Microbial Synthetic Biology

• Microbial engineering and biotechnological applications: from plastic upcycling to natural product discovery and sustainable agriculture to medicine and carbon capture.
• CRISPR-based toolkits and advanced genetic systems: learning how multiplexed CRISPR strategies and alternative nucleases expand the possibilities for microbial strain development.
• Synthetic and non-canonical pathways: examining how microbial metabolism can be redesigned through metabolic bypasses, growth-coupled selection strategies, and machine-learning-guided workflows to overcome natural constraints.
• Artificial cells exploring one of the most challenging and intriguing goals of synthetic biology—the creation of a "living" artificial cell. Participants will learn about both the top-down approach, which reduces the complexity of existing organisms to obtain minimal living systems, and the bottom-up approach, which assembles artificial systems step by step until emergent, life-like properties arise.
• Genome mining and bioinformatics: exploring in silico approaches such as antiSMASH to uncover biosynthetic gene clusters and assess the genetic potential of microbial producers.
• Whole genome synthesis in yeast and genetic interactions.
• Plastic degradation and bio-upcycling: presented as a case study in circular bioeconomy, showing how chemo-enzymatic depolymerization and microbial conversion can transform waste into valuable feedstocks.

By combining lectures, interactive discussions, and knowledge transfer activities, the summer school will foster interdisciplinary collaboration and equip participants with the conceptual and practical tools to advance microbial biotechnology. The program is designed to attract a broad audience of early-career researchers, students, and professionals interested in synthetic biology, offering both foundational knowledge and exposure to cutting-edge developments.