Simulating a minimal cell in the browser

Post by dsign » Sun, Jan 21, 2024, 11:02 AM UTC

zkirill wrote: post #19

I wonder if it would be possible to simplify the task further, by removing cell reproduction processes? As far as I understand, an "immortal" non-replicating cell does not exist in nature, but there is nothing that prevents an artificial one from existing, especially if it has ways to repair cellular damage.

> "immortal" non-replicating cell

Many (if not most) end-of-lineage cell in higher mammals are non-replicating. They are, technically, not immortal, but some live a very long time, like neurons.

I like your experiment idea though, and I think it would be really interesting. If you publish your results, I can already see critics coming out of the bushes and shouting "immortality is immoral!", "unnatural!!!" and "it's a virus! it's a virus!". Oh how we like our value judgements...

Post by charred_patina » Sun, Jan 21, 2024, 3:46 PM UTC

koeng wrote: post #10

331c8c71 wrote: post #4

Fascinating stuff, thanks! A recent workshop with recorded talks on such cells https://www.jcvi.org/events/minimal-cell-workshop I am wondering if other researchers can procure or produce these cells or these are rather a know-how of JCVI?

I gave a talk at that workshop! (I’m making the 61 codon version of JCVI-Syn3a) You can get the cells as a researcher, but basically forget about it for a commercial user or hobbyist. They’re also annoying as hell to grow. I’m trying to synthesize it from scratch for the precise reason of freeing it from MTAs (material transfer agreements)

I do some biology-adjacent programming work. I think protein and cell simulations would be a fun area to learn about. I am familiar with projects like OpenWorm. You seem pretty knowledgeable about the field. How does one get into computational biology? What prerequisite knowledge would I need to be able to write simulations like in this article?

Re: Simulating a minimal cell in the browser

Re: Simulating a minimal cell in the browser