Advances in Synthetic Morphology and its Potential Applications

Synthetic morphology and more broadly synthetic developmental biology lie at the intersection of synthetic biology and developmental biology. Synthetic developmental biology employs engineering approaches to (de)construct developmental systems, while synthetic morphology aims more specifically at engineering and controlling biological shape and form by programming cells to organize into designed patterns and structures. This novel approach to tissue construction is used to elucidate the patterning and morphogenesis design principles governing complex tissue arrangements. By designing novel cell assemblies, tissues and biological forms, synthetic morphology has the potential to create alternative tissue models for research, advance tissue engineering for the clinic, or modify plant architecture to improve crop tolerance to changing environments.

This Research Topic aims to present the recent advances in synthetic morphology and the engineering of biological form. It will capture the current applications of engineered developmental systems and exploring emerging ideas and future applications. This Research Topic will also describe the roadblocks and challenges faced by researchers to advance these systems further.

This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, Perspectives, Opinion and Methods articles addressing—but not limited to—the following areas:

- Synthetic morphology and synthetic developmental biology approaches that exert control over the organization of engineered multi-cellular assemblies

- Supporting technologies, models and toolkits for engineering developmental systems and synthetic tissues

- Synthetic morphology and engineered multi-cellular assemblies beyond animal cells: plants, bacterial architectures

- Synthetic cell morphology

- Reviewing the current research, exploring the future of the field and its applications

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Synthetic morphology; developmental biology; synthetic development; morphology; biological engineering

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.