The CHELL : A Bottom-Up approach to in vitro and in silico Minimal Life-like Constructs

Lead Research Organisation: University of Oxford
Department Name: Oxford Chemistry

Abstract

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Publications

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Allman SA (2009) Potent fluoro-oligosaccharide probes of adhesion in Toxoplasmosis. in Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology

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Bernardes GJ (2011) Site-selective traceless Staudinger ligation for glycoprotein synthesis reveals scope and limitations. in Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology

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Bernardes Goncalo J. L. (2012) Chemical site-selective protein modification: Development of a traceless vascular targeting ADC for cancer therapy in ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

 
Description We found that we were not only able to make an artificial chemical cell (something we called the 'chell') but that we could also create sufficient information from its metabolism for it to communicate with living (bacterial cells). This 'conversation' between artificial cells and living cells highlights that our notions of cellularity (and life) can be examined through fundamental experiments.
Exploitation Route These ideas have provoked various communities that examine cells right down to those who are interested in the emergence of complexity and even studying the origins of life. It provoked an analysis of the use of 'chemical cells' as potential 'living drugs', for example - see https://vimeo.com/10274649.
Sectors Education,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

URL http://users.ox.ac.uk/~dplb0149/index.html
 
Description BGD and group members have appeared on the radio, television, (BBD, Channel 5), newspapers (Times, New Scientist) science festivals around the world (Cheltenham, Kent, Edinburgh, Times Lit., Sydney) describing this work. We have given talks in schools to inspire the next generation. This work has been widely featured as one of the very first SynBio grants and that led to an expansion of the UK's SynBio community. It has also provoked a community of those more broadly interested in these concepts, including designers and artists - see https://vimeo.com/10274649 or http://www.daisyginsberg.com/work/synthesis-exchange-laboratory
First Year Of Impact 2009
Sector Chemicals,Creative Economy,Education,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Other
Impact Types Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services

 
Company Name Glycoform Ltd 
Description drug delivery and glycoprotein specialist; biopharmaceuticals 
Impact Employed >20 people over 10 years and provided a model for how synthetic protein drugs might be constructed and used. The technology for this company has now been used by major US companies.
Website http://isis-innovation.com/news/glycoform-ltd-improve-drug-delivery/