SYSTEMS AND SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY LABORATORY
Chiang Mai University, Thailand
Challenging the limits of Life via Systems and Synthetic Biology
About us
Welcome to the Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory (SSBL) at Chiang Mai University (CMU). Our laboratory group, situated within the Department of Biology, is at the forefront of cutting-edge research in the field of systems and synthetic biology.
At SSBL, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration by employing the principles of synthetic biology to study, manipulate, and optimize living organisms. Our primary focus lies in utilizing synthetic biology approaches to theoretically analyze, discern, investigate, and optimize the behavior of various organisms. We work with a diverse range of organisms, including microalgae, bacteria, cyanobacteria, extremophiles, droshopkicas, and mitochondria isolates. One of our key objectives is to challenge the limits of life through the lens of systems and synthetic biology. By combining the power of computational modeling, data analysis, and experimental techniques, we strive to generate valuable insights into the fundamental workings of living systems.
Within our laboratory, we employ synthetic biology techniques to create and engineer experimental data sets that aid in understanding and advancing the field of systems biology. By manipulating genetic circuits, metabolic pathways, and cellular processes, we aim to uncover novel approaches for improving biotechnological applications and addressing real-world challenges.
Research theme
Systems and synthetic biology of Euglena
Metabolic network modelling and metabolic flux analysis
Our team
PACHARA SATTAYAWAT, PhD
Biologist - Microbiologist - Molecular Biologist
Lecturer in Synthetic Biology, BIOL, CMU, Thailand
Pachara received her PhD from Imperial College London, UK, in microbial metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. Her research focuses on engineering of bacteria and cyanobacteria for enhanced characteristics, including for bioproduction. Her scope starts from system/pathway design, putative protein discovery and all the way to pathway implementation in microbial hosts using synthetic biology-based approaches. To benefit from high cyanobacterial diversity in tropical areas, she recently expanded her research interests to include the characterization of new cyanobacterial strains as robust models for genetic engineering.
Credit: Sattayawat et al., 2023
Key skills
- Genetic engineering
- Metabolic pathway design, implementation and characterization
- Gene expression
- Chemical analytical tools - High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC, gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
- Microbial cultivation and fermentation
SAHUTCHAI INWONGWAN (GLA), DPhil
Scientist - Biologist - Biochemist
Lecturer in Systems Biology, BIOL, CMU, Thailand
Honorary Research Fellow, GEE, UCL, UK
Sahutchai completed a DPhil (PhD) degree from the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford. His thesis explored the capacities of Euglena metabolic network using metabolic flux analysis techniques. He was working as a research fellow at University College London before moving back to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for his lectureship in Systems biology. His current research works include:
- Investigating physiological effects of mito-nuclear incompatibilities in Drosophila
- Metabolic modelling of Euglena for industrial applications
- Astrobiochemistry, modelling the optimal network for extraterrestrial conditions.
- Metabolic analysis in cancer cells
Key Skills
- Metabolic flux analysis
- Metabolic network reconstruction and modelling
- Multi-omics (Metabolomic and transcriptomic) analysis
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and flow cytometry
- Electron and fluorescence microscopy
- Drosophila, algal, plant and microbial experiments
Our ongoing research
- Investigating physiological effects of mito-nuclear incompatibilities in Drosophila
- Metabolic modelling of Euglena for industrial applications
- Astrobiochemistry, modeliing the optimal network for extraterrestrial conditions.
- Metabolic analysis in cancer cell
- Production of attractive chemicals through reconstructed synthetic pathways
Contact
Systems and Synthetic Biology Laboratory
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Chiang Mai University
239 Huay Keaw Rd, Tambon Su Thep, Mueang District
Chiang Mai, Thailand, 50200
email: sahutchai.inwongwan@cmu.ac.th, s.inwongwan@ucl.ac.uk
Tel: +66 821972128