Poster from Genomes, Medicine & Environment Conference. Hilton Head, 2006

1. Synthetic Biology, Environmental Sensing, and Global Climatology - Developing a Better Understanding of the Grand BioGeoChemical Cycles Michael Ferrari Rutgers University Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences Climate and life are beautifully intertwined through a variety of interacting cycles and multidirectional feedback loops on scales ranging from molecular to planetary. Not only is the distribution of life dictated by geophysical conditions, but life itself exerts an influence on the regulation of atmospheric processes. As climate continues to change, potential solutions to what may be one of society's greatest challenges will come from a portfolio within which early adopters of synthetic biology should expect to have a visible presence. Synthetic biologists should start to make connections with Earth system modellers and atmospheric scientists, in an effort to incorporate new biological components into the equations embedded within climate general circulation models (GCMs). These large-scale fluid dynamic models attempt to quantify various parameters in the ocean-atmosphere-land system. Element cycling is impacted by the exchange of water vapour between plants, soil and the atmosphere, and understanding the potential properties associated with "new" biological materials regulating this exchange can provide insight into the development of future mitigation strategies. We can't experiment directly with climate on a large scale, so models provide the testbed for new ideas, and the time is right to start the dialogue between these communities. example: GCM Runoff Calculation Resolution of a ‘nested’ general circulation model (GCM) Satellite SOurces How to determine the spectral signatures of synthetic biological agents? Dust storm off Morocco - Jan2005. MODIS bands 1, 4, 3, & AOD +15 days (below)