• How fundamental engineering principles apply to living cells.
• What engineering principles can tells us about how cells function.
• Established and emerging, equations, models, and design curves that can be used to tune, re-engineer, or build new cells.
• A framework for measuring and controlling cells as microdevices.
• An introduction to emerging biohybrid devices.

Module 1: Introduction

• Cells by the Numbers
• Cell as a Machine
• Bioinspiration: The Photoreceptor as an organic microdevice

Module 2: Cell Architecture

• Cell & Organelle Size
• Organelle Number
• Biological Networks

Module 3: Gene Expression & Circuits

• Intro to Transcription Networks
• Simple Model of Gene Expression
• Protein Half Lives
• Autoregulation
• Feedforward Loops 

Module 4: Cell Dynamics

• Basic Tools for Nonlinear Dynamics of Cells
• Gene switches
• Biological Oscillations

Module 5: Cellular Devices

• Intro to Living Biohybrids
• Cell Device Biointerface
• Cells as Sensors
• Cells as Actuators
• Cell - Device Integration

Module 6:  The Future

• Synthetic Life
• Applications of Biohybrids
• Ethics and Society