Creating Synthetic Life | Kerstin Goepfrich | Escaped Sapiens #61

In this conversation I speak with Professor Kerstin Göpfrich, who works at Heidelberg University at the Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), and who is also leading the Max Planck Research Group for the Biophysical Engineering of Life.
Kerstin is attempting to construct living cells from scratch, piece by piece from non-living materials. So far she has created cell membranes, cytoskeletons, linkers for connecting cytoskeletons to the cell membrane, a mechanism for cell division, microscopic channels for ion transport in and out of cell membranes, an artificial 'mitochondria' analog, and more. The goal is eventually to put together all of these elements into a self replicating, and autonomous model 'cell'. We discuss her progress, and what it teaches us about the origins of life on earth. We also touch on the ethics of bringing an entirely new branch of life into existence.
►For more information about Kerstin's work see:
goepfrichgroup.de/kerstin-gop...
www.mr.mpg.de/person/53539/14...
These conversations are supported by the Andrea von Braun Foundation (www.avbstiftung.de/), as an exploration of the rich, exciting, connected, scientifically literate, and (most importantly) sustainable future of humanity. The views expressed in these episodes are my own and those of my guests.
The images used in this conversation were taken from:
-vesicle traffic 38;00 - Daniel von Wangenheim ( • fantastic vesicle traffic )
Smiley face 33;30 Paul W.K. Rothemund and Nick Papadakis
-DNA origami 32;00 - Dan Lou www.researchgate.net/publicat...
0:00 - 4 Creating synthetic life.
0:01:08 - What is life?
0:04:18 - Was life on earth inevitable?
0:07:22 - Why did life only start once?
0:11:11 - What is synthetic biology?
0:20:20 - The minimal steps to create synthetic life.
0:28:50 - DNA Origami.
0:37:00 - Building Cytoskeletons
0:41:31 - Programming form with DNA
0:52:18 - Creating dynamics.
1:00:50 - Autonomous movement.
1:03:20 - The story of mitochondria.
1:05:05 - Cell division
1:20:00 - What would a synthetic organism be like?
1:23:20 - When will we see synthetic life?
1:27:12 - Insight into the great filters.
1:30:00 - Natures greatest invention.
1:31:30 - Where are the aliens?
1:37:50 - Applications.
1:40:06 - Ethics of creating synthetic life.
1:49:00 - Biological infinity ship.
1:55:00 - Pharmaceuticals
1:59:40 - Being there when life is synthesized from the non-living
►Subscribe And Turn On All Notifications To See More:
kzhead.info...
Watch These Videos Next:
►Hacking The Blueprint Of Life | Michael Levin | Escaped Sapiens #37
• Hacking The Blueprint ...
►How Your Evolved Psychology Controls You | Diana Fleischman | Escaped Sapiens Podcast #28
• How Your Evolved Psych...
►3 Months Lost at Sea, Human Endurance and Ingenuity | Steve Callahan | Escaped Sapiens Podcast #22
• 3 Months Lost at Sea, ...
►A Blueprint For Mars Colonization | Robert Zubrin | Escaped Sapiens Podcast #5
• A Blueprint For Mars C...