Olivier Borkowski is a molecular physiologist and microbial bioengineer working on model bacteria and yeast. Olivieri's scientific interest, from his PhD to his current work, focuses on the relationship between cell physiology and gene expression. During his PhD, Olivier worked on B. subtilis to understand the impact of growth rate on protein production using a systems-oriented approach. Then, during his postdocs, Olivier focused on the impact on protein production on the growth rate. A method was developed to predict the cost of heterologous protein production using cell-free systems (in vitro expression) and models of the translation process. In parallel, Olivier used synthetic biology approaches to build:
- Genetic circuits sensing the changes in cell physiology in different growth phases to control protein production in E. coli using genetic logic gates
- Autonomous "feedback control" circuits to sense and reduce the weight of resource competition between the host and synthetic circuits
He also also coupled cell-free systems and active learning to maximize protein production and highlight the critical resources limiting gene expression in vitro. Today, Olivier works on active learning as a general tool to assist the design of genetic circuits in S. cerevisiae.