Nielsen Group

Systems and synthetic biology

The Nielsen Group, led by Senior Group Leader Professor Lars Nielsen, uses systems biology – that is, systems science, modelling and simulation – to integrate data streams and generate knowledge. As applied systems biologists or biotechnologists, they do more than develop tools for better understanding (analysis); they use these tools to design products and processes for human benefit (synthesis). The science is moving from crude retrofitting of living systems with a single or few genes using genetic engineering, to purposeful reengineering of living systems using systems and synthetic biology.

Drawing on a common core of expertise in genome scale metabolic modelling and the full range of ‘omics technologies, the Group studies a diverse range of biological systems, including model and industrial microbes, animals cells, plants and increasingly complex ecosystems.

Resources

We run the Queenlsand Node of Metabolomics Australia. The facility is available to the public.

Researchers