Regina G. Barber

Well, see, this is where we get to the next question, Kate, is that what if we could build a cell so that we could understand it better?

So, like, how would you describe the synthetic cell you're building towards?

Okay, so Drew, when did the idea of building a cell, a synthetic cell, start to seem possible?

Like what's the history here?

OK, so, Kate, I was going to ask you about that.

That's more of the bottom up approach.

That's what was going on in 2010 when, like Drew just said, this group of scientists, they like, quote, built a genome from scratch and used it to control a cell.

Only the genome was synthetic, right?

Like how is build a cell, your effort different and maybe even like improving on that research?

And that's the bottom-up method.

Yeah, it makes me think of the Lego movie of, like, the different lands.

Yes.

And, like, one's already built versus, like, if you just go to, like, an open area.

Or, like, in Minecraft where you go into somebody's, like, realm already that already exists versus, like, going to your realm where you can build something.

Kate's like, yes.

So where is the field right now?

Like how close are you to creating synthetic life?

Yeah.

Last question.

There are many scientists that are working towards this goal, including both of you.