EASAC
Realising European potential in synthetic biology | December 2010 | 1
Synthetic biology is the engineering of biology: the
deliberate (re-)design and construction of novel systems to
perform new functions, drawing on principles elucidated
from biology, chemistry and engineering. It is an emerging
fi eld of increasing scientifi c and public policy interest.
This EASAC report is derived from activities by individual
national academies of science together with analysis and
advice from an EASAC expert Working Group:
• Identifying features that distinguish synthetic biology
from, for example, genetic engineering and systems
biology.
• Exploring what contribution synthetic biology might
make across a wide range of applications (including
health, energy, environment, agriculture, chemicals
and security) to tackling EU societal needs and
economic growth.
• Assessing what more may be needed to create an
appropriate regulatory environment, what scientifi c
and technological challenges need to be overcome
and what societal concerns need to be addressed.
• Clarifying the implications for EU policy-making
priorities.
In addition to the multiple potential industrial
applications, synthetic biology will lead to a better
understanding of natural biological systems because
synthetic systems can be simplifi ed to allow for
experiments that would be too diffi cult to interpret if
done in their full natural context. Among the major
scientifi c advances in methodology, both in vivo and in
vitro, where EASAC identifi es continuing opportunities
for European research are the following:
• Minimal genomes—identifying the smallest number
of parts needed for life as a basis for engineering
minimal cell factories for new functions.
• Orthogonal biosynthesis—engineering cells to
expand the genetic code to develop new information
storage and processing capacity.
• Regulatory circuits—inserting well-characterised,
modular, artifi cial networks to provide new functions
in cells and organisms.
• Metabolic engineering—attaining new levels of
complexity in modifi cation of biosynthetic pathways
for sustainable chemistry.
• Protocells—using programmable chemical design to
produce (semi-)synthetic cells.
• Bionanoscience—developing molecular-scale motors
and other components for cell-based machines or
cell-free devices to perform complex new tasks.
In each case, synthetic biology offers the potential to
engineer new levels of safety into the application, for
example by ensuring that the new systems are dependent
on exogenous regulation, are separated from endogenous
systems and are only operable in the target cells.
It is not yet clear if specifi c policy for synthetic biology is
needed to advance the fi eld or whether this would risk
creating additional obstacles by making unnecessary
distinctions from other fi elds. There is, as yet, no
consensus on whether synthetic biology will be a truly
transformational technology or, merely, an incremental
advance. Nonetheless, there are governance implications
for biosafety (the protection of legitimate users) and
biosecurity (protecting against intentional misuse).
Broadly, we conclude that existing legislation is adequate
as long as synthetic biology remains an extension
of recombinant DNA technology and the scientifi c
community commits to developing voluntary codes of
conduct.
Recommendations
The objectives of the EASAC recommendations are to
support those Member States that are already active
in the fi eld of synthetic biology, to identify options for
building capacity in the currently less active countries, and
to clarify the policy priorities for a coherent EU strategy to
cover regulation as well as research and innovation:
• Research capacity—there is a signifi cant agenda for
the European Commission and Member States in
synthetic biology that includes: (1) strengthening the
underpinning scientifi c disciplines; (2) development
of integrative Centres of Excellence to foster inter-
disciplinary perspectives; (3) funding new initiatives
to network smaller laboratories across the EU; and (4)
supporting translational research and standardisation
of technology platforms and tools. Moreover,
progress in synthetic biology depends not just on
input from laboratory-based sciences but also the
social sciences and humanities. Therefore, funding
agencies must provide support across a broad range
of topics.
• Training—future progress is critically dependent on
training the next generation of scientists, particularly
in bridging the biology and engineering disciplines
and incorporating skills from chemistry, physics and
informatics, at all levels from undergraduate through
to Master’s, PhD and post-doctoral programmes.
Summary