Olivier Borkowski

Boosted cell-free gene expression for robust signal readout from a single-copy DNA template in microdroplets
doi.org/10.64898/202...

The Origins of Agar First introduced into laboratories in 1881, agar remains indispensable as a culture medium.

The Origins of Agar
open.substack.com/pub/cell/p/a...

#microsky

Generative AI for synthetic biology: Designing biological parts, circuits, and genomes
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

On the nature of the earliest known lifeforms Microfossils reported from Archaean BIFs most likely were liposome-like protocells, which had evolved intracellular mechanisms for energy conservation but not for regulating cell morphology and replic...

On the nature of the earliest known lifeforms elifesciences.org/articles/98637 #biology #life #evolution

Engineering non-exponential proliferation in Escherichia coli using functionalized protein aggregates
doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Dissecting reversible and irreversible single cell state transitions from gene regulatory networks - Molecular Systems Biology Understanding cell state transitions and their governing regulatory mechanisms remains one of the fundamental questions in biology. We develop a computational method, state transition inference using ...

Dissecting reversible and irreversible single cell state transitions from gene regulatory networks
doi.org/10.1038/s443...

Higher-order interactions in auxotroph communities enhance their resilience to resource fluctuations
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

Development of a toehold switch detection platform based on a modified cell-free translation system for specific differentiation of coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus genotypes and sensitive detection of phloem-limited bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...

High-Throughput FRET Affinity Screening Technique (HTFAST) For Cell-Free Expressed Binding Protein Characterization
doi.org/10.64898/202...

PL-display: A cell-free platform for tunable selection of affinity peptides
doi.org/10.1093/pnas...

Impact of Reducing Agents on Protein Synthesis in a Reconstituted Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System Maintaining proper redox conditions is essential for protein stability and function. In cell-free protein synthesis, reducing agents, such as dithiothreitol and reduced glutathione, are commonly added...

Impact of Reducing Agents on Protein Synthesis in a Reconstituted Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Model-Driven Cell-Free Synthesis of the C4 Amino Acid Aspartate Directly from CO2 The synthesis of amino acids from CO2 as the sole carbon source is a critical goal for sustainable biomanufacturing, offering a green alternative to conventional production methods plagued by greenhou...

Model-Driven Cell-Free Synthesis of the C4 Amino Acid Aspartate Directly from CO2
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Transcriptional competition biases the effects of second messengers in Escherichia coli
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

Engineering Basal Cognition: Minimal Genetic Circuits for Habituation, Sensitization, and Massed–Spaced Learning Cognition is often associated with complex brains, yet many forms of learning─such as habituation, sensitization, and even spacing effects─have been observed in single cells and aneural organisms. These simple cognitive abilities, despite their cost, offer evolutionary advantages by allowing organisms to reduce environmental uncertainty and improve survival. Recent studies have confirmed early claims of learning-like behavior in protists and slime molds, pointing to the presence of basal cognitive functions long before the emergence of nervous systems. In this work, we adopt a synthetic biology approach to explore how minimal genetic circuits can implement nonassociative learning in unicellular systems. Building on theoretical models and using well-characterized regulatory elements, we design and simulate synthetic circuits capable of reproducing habituation, sensitization, and the massed–spaced learning effect. Our designs incorporate activators, repressors, fluorescent reporters, and quorum-sensing molecules, offering a platform for experimental validation. By examining the structural and dynamical constraints of these circuits, we highlight the distinct temporal dynamics of gene-based learning systems compared to neural counterparts and provide insights into the evolutionary and engineering challenges of building synthetic cognitive behavior at the cellular level.

Engineering Basal Cognition: Minimal Genetic Circuits for Habituation, Sensitization, and Massed–Spaced Learning
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Integrated microdroplet workflow for high-throughput cell-free transcription in double emulsion picoreactors
doi.org/10.1101/2025...

"Are you not worried that engineered microbes can be released into the environment and eat all the plastic?" The answer is not really. Pleased to share our latest piece addressing this question by evaluating the current status of whole-cell plastic degradation: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Resolving emergent transient oscillations in gene circuits with a growth-coupled model Multiscale modeling reveals how growth and proteolysis-linked recycling cause transient oscillations in synthetic gene circuits.

Resolving emergent transient oscillations in gene circuits with a growth-coupled model
doi.org/10.1126/scia...

Integrase-On-Demand: bioprospecting integrases for targeted genomic insertion of genetic cargo Abstract. Integrases serve as powerful biotechnology tools that catalyze recombination at specific DNA sequences (att sites) and facilitate chromosomal int

Integrase-On-Demand: bioprospecting integrases for targeted genomic insertion of genetic cargo Open Access
doi.org/10.1093/nar/...

I have to take some time to read everything in depth. But I already like the scale of the experiment and the use of gpt in real time.

AI in biology has a wet lab bottleneck.

We solved it with our automated lab-in-the-loop system.

📍Demo our RAC automation platform at NVIDIA GTC and see how AI models can:

- Design experiments
- Run them autonomously
- Learn from physical results

🔗 Schedule: automation.ginkgo.bio/nvidia-gtc-2...

AI & cell-free OpenAi & Ginkgo !!!!

Using a GPT-5-driven autonomous lab to optimize the cost and titer of cell-free protein synthesis
doi.org/10.64898/202...

Quote Tweet: https://twitter.com/i/status/2019488071134347605

ChatGPT can close the gap between digital general intelligence and real world experimentation. Models must interact with the real world to discover new science and create great abundance!

Multilevel Regulation in RNA-Protein Hybrid Incoherent Feed-Forward Loop Circuits for Tunable Pulse Dynamics in Escherichia coli Regulating gene expression with precision is essential for cellular engineering and biosensing applications, where rapid, programmable, and sensitive control is desired. Current approaches to regulato...

Multilevel Regulation in RNA-Protein Hybrid Incoherent Feed-Forward Loop Circuits for Tunable Pulse Dynamics in Escherichia coli
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

The Critical Role of Resource Competition in Designing Synthetic Genetic Circuits
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...

A Guide to Bayesian Optimization in Bioprocess Engineering Bayesian optimization has become widely popular across various experimental sciences due to its favorable attributes: it can handle noisy data, perform well with relatively small data sets, and provi...

A Guide to Bayesian Optimization in Bioprocess Engineering
doi.org/10.1002/bit....

A Bacteroides synthetic biology toolkit to build an in vivo malabsorption biosensor
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

SynBYSS The International SynBYSS Conference is focused on bringing together the synthetic biology community with the explicit goal of developing young...

#SynBYSS conference is scheduled on Jun 8-11, 2026 in Barcelona. Given the 100-year celebration of Architect Gaudi in Barcelona, we suggest early booking of hotels.
Details can be found: www.jcvi.org/events/synbyss (speakers, abstract submission & registration)
@jcvi.org @marcguellc.bsky.social

Postdoctoral position - Synthetic Biology / Bacterial Immunity - Research The Bikard lab at Institut Pasteur in Paris is seeking to hire postdoctoral researchers. We are investigating bacteria / bacteriophages interactions, and the genetic innovation that happens at this in...

🚨 Hiring Alert! 🚨My lab at Institut Pasteur is recruiting several Postdocs! We have exciting open projects in: 🦠 Synthetic Biology and🛡️ Bacterial Immunity. Come do great science with us in the middle of Paris! 🇫🇷🥐 research.pasteur.fr/en/job/postd...

Revealing global stoichiometry conservation architecture in cells from Raman spectral patterns
doi.org/10.7554/eLif...

A modular HaloTag platform for engineering
magnetically responsive bacterial microrobots
doi.org/10.64898/202...