Synthetic Biology
Synthetic Biology (also known as "synbio") usually involves creating synthetic DNA or other molecules. A single gene may be synthesised and then inserted into an organism such as a plant using genetic engineering, or the whole genome of a simple organism such as a virus or bacterium may be produced. The definition is not exact: synthetic biology is usually regarded as a step beyond genetic engineering but sometimes genetic engineering is regarded as a subset of synbio. Any artificial adaption of lifeforms for human purposes is sometimes regarded as synthetic biology.
Most synthetic biology research is focused on simple organisms such as viruses, bacteria and algae. The main concerns about these synthetic organisms is the effects they could have on the environment, especially if they are produced on a commercial scale.