Synthetic Cells Extract Semantic Information From Their Environment

Based on a recently reported operative definition of semantic information, due to Kolchinsky and Wolpert (2018), here we present a research program based on the intersection between synthetic biology, molecular communication, and information theory. In particular, we first describe and emphasize the role of "synthetic cells" as new (bio)technological platform for theoretical and applied investigations; next we simulate a smart drug delivery scenario whereby synthetic cells extract semantic information from their environment (made of cancerous cells, which provide a signal molecule that triggers the production of a cytotoxic drug by the synthetic cell).