Seminar By David Glass - Engineering Synthetic Multicellularity
David Glass , PhD
Arthur P. Grollman Endowed Assistant Professor of Physical and Quantitative Biology in the Laufer Center, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Laufer Center Endowed Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University.
November 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Javits 111
Tittle: Engineering Synthetic Multicellularity for understanding Consortia and Tissue
Abstract:
Differentiation - in which stem-like cells produce daughter cells with specialized function but limited growth potential - is essential for multicellular life. However, differentiation is inherently susceptible to mutation because non-differentiating mutants over-proliferate and outcompete normal cells. It remains unclear what mechanisms can resist such mutant expansion. We demonstrate a solution to this fundamental challenge by engineering a synthetic differentiation circuit in Escherichia coli. The circuit generates a controllable differentiation lineage and resists mutations in long-term evolution by coupling differentiation to an essential trait. The results provide insight into stability of differentiation and demonstrate a powerful method for engineering evolutionarily stable multicellularity.
Department of Biomedical Engineering & Institute for Engineering - Driven Medicine
