Molecular Engineering and Good Design

Biological engineering encompasses a wide variety of disciplines, including those traditionally associated with biomedical engineering (for example organ prostheses, instrumentation, biomechanics) and newer disciplines such as rational drug design and genetic engineering. By molecular engineering, I mean the deliberate, rational design of

By this definition molecular engineering includes current work in rational drug and protein design, but expands to larger, more complex systems and to other application areas such as industrial and environmental applications.

Like other engineering disciplines, it is critical to think about what constitutes ``good'' design and how it can be achieved. This is particularly interesting with biological systems: on the one hand we have as case studies the exquisitely tuned results of millions of years of evolution, rich with mutation, adaptation and selection; on the other, the diversity of the parts and the complexity of their interactions means that changing one can affect many others, often in unexpected ways. As a result, current design practice for even small systems relies largely on trial and error. It is reasonable to ask if any current engineering practices might be applicable to biological systems, and what new ones would prove useful.

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