Synthetic Biology: From Bits to Atoms
“From Bits to Atoms” is a groundbreaking 16-week hybrid elective course, specially designed for undergraduate art and design students. Launched in 2023, this program invites students from the IEDA (Interdisciplinary Expanded Design and Art) department at Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Lahore, to embrace the transformative experience of exploring science through an artist’s lens. The course is taught in collaboration with the instructors at PML, Peshawar, combining expertise in art and synthetic biology.
The course broadly merges the fields of Synthetic Biology and Bioart, divided into three dynamic sections: Empirical, Application, and Speculative. Over two years, the elective has evolved to offer 14 engaging lectures paired with 10 hands-on laboratory sessions. This unique blend provides students with an opportunity to explore the interplay between art and science while utilizing nature as a medium for creativity.
To overcome the challenges of remote teaching, especially in a hands-on field like biology, PML instructors developed creative DIY modules using everyday materials. These resourceful approaches have become a hallmark of the course, demonstrating that high-impact learning is possible even with limited resources. Popular lab kits include the Foldscope (a paper-based microscope) and the Cardyfuge (a hand-powered centrifuge), tools that make extracting plasmids from bacterial cells both accessible and memorable.
Students explore molecular biology techniques by designing and coding living cells. Among the key experiments, students learn to molecularly copy DNA and create bioart using Barbie-pink fluorescent proteins extracted from jellyfish and expressed in bacteria. The resulting bacterial art, carefully grown in incubators, is preserved as unique keepsakes on petri plates. This step ensures the artworks are appreciated long after the course concludes, reducing waste and honoring students’ efforts.
The course culminates in a Capstone Project, where students conceptualize and execute interdisciplinary ideas that merge art and synthetic biology. Over the past two years, the capstone projects have ranged from using living organisms as an artistic medium to engineering biological systems with cutting-edge synthetic biology techniques. These projects are refined during a special two-day session at PML, providing students with the tools and guidance to push creative and scientific boundaries.
The final projects are presented during Demo Day, judged by a panel of internal and external experts. This platform not only showcases students’ work but also fosters a dialogue about the potential of synthetic biology in addressing global challenges.
“From Bits to Atoms” has firmly established itself as a pioneering platform at the intersection of life sciences and art. The course equips students with a unique perspective to reimagine their artistic practices while laying the foundation for future collaborations in the ever-evolving fields of bioart and synthetic biology.
This program serves as a reminder that synthetic biology is not just a technological tool but a powerful medium to address complex challenges and inspire creativity in unexpected ways.
Program Highlights
The 2024 cohort of Synthetic Biology
From Bits to Atoms brought together 16 passionate students who explored biology through an artist’s lens, blurring the lines between science and creativity. Their projects tackled bold ideas from Perspire Prints, where bacteria was engineered to react with sweat turned clothing into living, wearable art, to Hexis, a futuristic harness concept powered...
The 2023 cohort of Synthetic Biology
From Bits to Atoms brought together 13 passionate students who had the unique opportunity to experience biology through an artist’s lens, blurring the boundaries between science and creativity. Their projects explored bold and imaginative ideas ranging from engineering perfumes and bio-optic energy...