New UK investment in synthetic biology

Picture from University of Texas, Austin, 2004 Synthetic Biology competition photo, Courtesy of Jeff Tabor and Randy Rettberg.

The funding has been awarded to seven new networks to allow researchers to build links across institutions and disciplines, forming synthetic biology community. The networks  involve eight universities.

Synthetic biology takes genetic engineering onto the next stage of development. It involves the synthesis of complex, biologically based, or inspired, systems which display biochemical pathways that do not exist in nature.

This approach has been hailed as the route to the rational and systematic design of systems that address the major challenges of the future, with possible applications including the creation of systems to generate power, new medical applications, nanoscale biological computers, bioremediation and biosensors for health or security applications.

The networks are centred on Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Oxford and Sheffield universities and University College London & Birkbeck College. The funding will enable them to build multidisciplinary links between different labs and develop the tools and language required for synthetic biology research.

Nigel Brown, BBSRC Director of Science and Technology, said, “Our aim is to build capacity for a world-leading UK synthetic biology research community quickly. Synthetic biology has huge potential to help us both further our understanding of natural biological systems and also develop new biologically based systems to tackle
future challenges.

At the same time the Research Councils are tackling the moral and ethical issues that the field presents. Brian Johnson, Chair of BBSRC's Bioscience for Society sub-group on synthetic biology said, “BBSRC has already set up a group to gain insight into public attitudes when setting research priorities in synthetic biology. We think it is important that scientists and research funders are aware of the wider social and ethical
issues surrounding synthetic biology.”

“From events that we and others have held recently, we are confident that UK scientists will address such issues when planning and carrying out research involving synthetic biology.”