The Synthetic Biology Handbook explains the major goals of the field of synthetic biology and presents the technical details of the latest advances made in achieving those goals. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current areas of focus in synthetic biology, this handbook:

• Explores the standardisation of classic molecular bioscience approaches
• Addresses the societal context and potential impacts of synthetic biology
• Discusses the use of legacy systems as tools for new product development
• Examines the design and construction of de novo cells and genetic codes
• Describes computational methods for designing genes and gene networks

Thus, the Synthetic Biology Handbook provides an accurate sense of the scope of synthetic biology today. The handbook also affords readers with an opportunity to scrutinize the underlying science and decide for themselves what aspects of synthetic biology are most valuable to their research and practice.