What is Engineering Biology?
The industrial revolution in the 19th century was a triumph of engineering, as humanity built machines to harness mechanical power from coal. The technological revolution, beginning in the 1980s, is a triumph of digital programming and smart gadget design. The Human Genome Project at the turn of the 21st century was a revolution in biology, laying out the genetic code of life - DNA.
These advances have already transformed our world. The next revolution promises to do so again. It combines engineering, biology and programming to create tools, processes, products and organisms that are greener, cleaner, more efficient and more effective than ever before.
Engineering biology (also called ‘synthetic biology’), is industrialising DNA sequencing, manufacture and editing, making all of it cheaper and more accessible – rather like Microsoft Word did for text-editing. A new generation of software and systems are being built to support such work, within ‘wet-dry’ laboratories that contain both test tubes and computers.
The areas of application for engineering biology are vast, spanning healthcare, agriculture, energy, and various industries. This means engineering biology as an enabling technology is influenced by multiple government policies, strategies, legislations and regulations, and shapes these in turn.
The UK has never been afraid to forge ahead in emerging science but also offers a strong and supportive policy and regulatory landscape for responsible innovation. In 2021, engineering biology was listed by the Government as one of the seven key technology families of UK strength and opportunity.
Engineering Biology: A guide to engineering biology
Read our guide to learn more about Engineering Biology, and the UK excellence in the field, featuring case studies from BIA members Prokarium, CHAIN Biotechnology Ltd, Green Biologics, Customem, Synpromics and Touchlight Genetics.
Power of biology: The UK is engineering biology for global good
The Power of Biology booklet* offers insight into the vibrancy of the UK engineering biology ecosystem and encourages you to look at how your organisation could become part of it.
*This brochure was produced by the UK's Department for International Trade in association with the BioIndustry Association (BIA).
Engineering Biology Advisory Committee (EBAC)
The Engineering Biology Advisory Committee (EBAC) is the voice for companies practising engineering biology in the UK across many sectors and industries, comprising a body of experts to support commercialisation and inform UK policy and regulation. The committee provides expert advice to Government and the BIA, working in close collaboration with other stakeholders.
The aim is to use engineering biology to make a significant contribution towards sustainable growth in the bioeconomy.
EBAC Priorities
1. Connect
- Connect the wider engineering biology community across the UK to support companies in their key challenges, and connect to the IBLF, IBioIC & Microbiome KTN, engineering biology CDTs and UKRI mission hubs.
- Grow the engineering biology membership within the BIA (incl. BIA Deep Biotech group).
- Connect and showcase UK companies internationally at conferences and events.
2. Inform/Support
- Increase BIA’s engineering biology networking and events activity, including a platform to connect & share news.
- Leverage the wider support and resources available within the BIA to create a supportive ecosystem for translation.
- Promote and campaign for engineering biology members’ technologies through case studies and via social media, on a regular basis.
3. Expert Advice
- As a body of experts, provide advice to policymakers and government consultations on relevant areas.
- Engage key government bodies and regulators through the Engineering Biology Regulators Network (EBRN), the Engineering Biology Steering Group, and the Biosecurity Leadership Council (BLC).
BIA EBAC Chair and Vice Chair
Dr Edward Green
Edward is a microbiologist with a PhD in Biochemical Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and over 25 years’ experience with anaerobic bacteria. He has pioneered technical improvements in microbial strain improvement and fermentation process development for industrial biotechnology applications contributing to numerous scientific publications and patents.
Edward is also a serial biotech entrepreneur having founded Green Biologics in 2004 and now a world leading fermentation company manufacturing renewable chemicals. More recently (2014), he founded CHAIN Biotech, a microbiome Company focused on development and commercialisation of microbial technology for the production and delivery of biotherapeutics to the gut. Edward supports the IB Leadership Forum, several NIBB management boards; C1NET and LBNET and the BBSRC advisory panel for Bioenergy and Industrial Biotechnology.
Sara Holland
After a PhD in fission yeast chromosome engineering, Sara spent 8 years as a postdoctoral researcher at Nottingham University in yeast molecular biology before joining Potter Clarkson 9 years ago. Now a UK and European patent attorney, Sara has a strong interest in helping to commercialise research originating from universities, particularly in the synthetic biology/engineering biology space. Educating people, particularly academics and scientist founders about IP and its critical role in bringing technology to the market is a key motivator and Sara has lectured on a number of Masters courses and EPSRC summer schools. Sara also co-founded a Women in Synthetic Biology network, alongside Liz Fletcher of the IBioIC and Fiona Mischel from Synbiobeta.
EBAC Members
