Catchword: biobrick

Filed under: English, Biology

Part of speech: n.

Quotation: Rob Carlson notes that the emerging biotechnology of using standardized, modular biological parts to assemble synthetic organisms (or “genetically engineered machines”) is already seeing its first intellectual property dust-up. From early on, these standardized, modular biological parts (SMBPs) have been referred to as “biobricks”—a pretty common-sense term, evoking both the classic image of basic components for building structures and the snap-together, make-what-you-want construction fun of LEGO. It was so common sense that the organization seeking to create and referee standards decided to call itself the BioBricks Foundation (BBF), and to slap a trademark on the term “biobrick.” The BBF is now actively admonishing people who use “biobrick” in a generic way to describe SMBPs.

Article or document title:
“Tuesday Topsight” (URL)

Author:
Jamais Cascio

Article, document, publication, web site:
Open the Future

Date of publication:
Oct. 9, 2007

This catchword has yet to be researched.