👉 Population engineering is a method used in synthetic biology to design and control the behavior of engineered biological systems, such as microbial communities or gene circuits. It involves the iterative design-build-test-learn cycle, where synthetic genetic parts (like promoters, ribosome binding sites, and genes) are introduced into a host organism to create or modify its population of cells. By systematically altering the genetic makeup and environmental conditions, researchers can steer the evolution of these populations towards desired phenotypes or functions. This approach leverages principles from evolutionary biology, allowing for the optimization of complex traits and the creation of robust, predictable biological systems. Population engineering is particularly useful in applications like bioremediation, biofuel production, and the development of therapeutic microbes.