[itmag]

I don't know anything at all about biotech, but it seems to me that the current process is something akin to manually entering machine code by flipping switches on a mainframe (or, another analogy: randomly gluing together libraries until something kinda works).

Maybe what is needed is some kind of programming language? Think VHDL but for biological stuff.

[possibilistic]

Just curious, but how interested would you (or others) be in a distilled introduction / survey of molecular biology? I've been thinking of writing or putting together some material at a somewhat higher level than, say, Khan Academy. No problem sets, just a fast and hard "this is why". Interested persons will challenge themselves, independently research, and put things together if they want deeper knowledge.

I've always felt that I could condense an entire two semester of cell phys/molec bio into a three hour video or 20-30 page article. I think the mind is surprisingly adept at filling in the holes...

Not saying that I have the talent to do this well. Is it something I should pursue?

[philk]

This would be fascinating. It would be great if you did this.

[jasonify]

Go for it and let us know when you have something. Twitter: @jasonyfied

[itmag]

Yes!

[abi]

+1.

[onemoreact]

That's the 'old' but cheap process.

We can directly encode an organism's DNA. As in scan something in Virginia, email it's DNA and have someone else in California who print's that organism's DNA which then goes on to reproduce.

PS: There are still limitations based on the cellular machinery that exists inside a cell and the target cell. But, when it comes to DNA we have that down.

[corwinbad]

check out http://genomecompiler.com

[iqster]

Check out biobricks.