SyntheticBiologyReportElkington

1

2009-2015:InvestmentsinSyntheticBiologyCompanies

2

2009-2015:NumberofSyntheticBiologyCompaniesFunded

3

2015:InvestmentsinSyntheticBiologyCompanies

4

Currentcurrentchallengesinsyntheticbiology

• Biologyisnoisy• Thecellisacomplexandnon-deterministicmachine• Engineeringliferequirescontrolsofmanydynamicparameters

5

Thelayersneededtoengineerbiologysuccessfully

6

Example:StandardofInteroperabilityforSyntheticBiology

• Thegrowthofsyntheticbiologydependsonstandards.• Standardswillallownon-expertstointerfacewithbiology

Source:DrewEndy,RegistryofStandardBiological Parts 7

What’sdrivingadvancesinsyntheticbiology

8Source:RobCarlson

Who’sfundingtheseadvances

TotalSyntheticBiologyFundingin2015

9

Howtheseadvancesallowcontrolofthecell

10

1. Genomics(DNA/RNA)2. Proteomics3. ‘Omics (measuringother

moleculesincells)

Thefirstexampleofsyntheticbiology

11Source:Elowitz Lab

Cas9hasbeenthenextmajorstepinsyntheticbiology

12Source:Nature

DIYBio

13

DIYBio andbiohackingisadevelopingmarketofindividualsthatwillhaveamajorimpactonlifesciences

Source:DIYBio.org

Conclusions

1. Investmentsinsyntheticbiologyhavebeenincreasingoverthelast6years

2. Growthinsyntheticbiologywillrelyondevelopmentofinfrastructureandstandardstoexpandthenumberofpeoplewhocanworkwithbiology

3. Fundingandfundamentaladvancesaresupportingacceleratedgrowthinthesyntheticbiologymarket

14