This study provides a relatively brief overview of the fi
eld of synthetic biology/en
gineering biology for the
non-specialist reader. This is in line wit
h one of the basic aims of the new journal
Engineering Biology
–
which is to
open up the field to a much wider audience than those currently engaged and, particularly, to people working in
companies and disciplines whose technology may be relevant to the field. Consequently, the study contains some
didactic material.