Research Focus

Engineering complex biological systems for the future

The basic biological questions addressed in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) range from- what determines a cell’s fate- to how can we model and then influence, change, or engineer the fate and behavior of cells to yield a desired behavior or output. The objects of study range from single cells through more complex multi-cellular systems to small tissues. The D-BSSE unites biologists, researchers from other natural sciences, engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians to work towards a quantitative understanding and, in a next step, towards a purposeful engineering of complex biological systems. Such an approach will also help to open novel diagnostic and therapeutic avenues.

Historically, biological research has been categorized according to the dimension of the problem – ranging from single molecules (molecular biology and biochemistry) to whole organs or creatures (physiology and zoology). The D-BSSE aims at integrating all these levels and at achieving a dynamic understanding of the complex networks that enable higher-level functionality. The ultimate goal is to possibly reconstitute and create complex cellular functions and to engineer functional units using specific biological and/or synthetic parts. Our activities are also aimed at providing new basic tools for tissue repair and/or regenerative medicine.

The D-BSSE is situated close to the renowned Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) of the Novartis Research Foundation and the clinically oriented Center for Biomedicine of the University of Basel. The Biozentrum, and the medical and science departments of the University of Basel are in walking distance. Moreover, strong relations with pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry located in the Basel area are fostered.

Focus of Research Groups

Research groups at D-BSSE pursue activities in experimental and computational systems biology, as well as in engineering. Research topics of individual groups are listed on the research page. In general our research evolves in three major steps:

1. Discover new facts about the functionality of living systems

2. Take these new findings and try to model them

3. Use the resulting model to devise and engineer novel biosystems