Addressing Host Context Challenges in Synthetic Gene Circuit Design

The interaction between synthetic gene circuits and their host organisms introduces complex context factors, such as growth feedback and resource competition, which can lead to unforeseen dynamics and substantial alterations in desired circuit behaviors. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent work on understanding, predicting, and controlling how host growth and resource competition affect the functional behaviors of gene circuits. Especially, I will highlight how phase separation offers an effective strategy to enhance the robustness of synthetic gene circuits against growth fluctuations.