Abstract
Synthetic cells provide a versatile platform for reconstituting and interrogating life-like behaviours in a minimal and controllable setting. In our work, we engineer vesicle-based systems that mimic fundamental cellular functions including shape change, motility, fusion, and responsiveness to external cues by designing programmable membrane architectures and internal components. These synthetic cells are built from modular, bioinspired elements that allow precise control over mechanical properties, compartmentalisation, and signalling. We use this framework to reconstruct cellular processes from the bottom up, enabling systematic exploration of how functional behaviours emerge from defined molecular building blocks. In parallel, we develop biohybrid systems by integrating synthetic modules with living cells to enhance their stability, sensing capabilities, or responsiveness. Through this interdisciplinary approach, we aim to advance the principles of engineering biology and uncover how biological functions can be mimicked and extended in synthetic systems.
Short bio
Claudia Contini is a Lecturer in Biotechnology and BBSRC Discovery Fellow in the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London, specialising in bottom-up synthetic biology. She holds a Master’s degree in Medical Chemistry from the University of Padua, Italy, and a PhD in Physical Chemistry from University College London. After her PhD, she pursued postdoctoral research at Imperial College London on bio-nano interactions. She later secured an ISSF Fellowship to develop innovative protocells, followed by the prestigious L’Oréal-UNESCO UK Fellowship and a BBSRC Fellowship. Her scientific contributions have been recognised through several awards, including the Italy Made Me award from the Italian Ambassador in London. She also serves as Co-Director of the Association of Italian Scientists in the UK (AISUK) and as the UK National Representative for IUPAC’s Division of Physical and Biophysical Chemistry.