Engineering biology has the potential to solve some of our biggest global challenges, from developing new vaccines and therapies, to plastic-free packaging and sustainable fuels for transport.
Two new investments through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund that will help to solve these challenges and drive economic growth in the UK’s engineering biology sector were announced today by UKRI.
Proof of concept
A £3 million proof of concept programme aims to create new collaborations between academics and industry working in engineering biology.
The programme will be delivered through the SynbiCITE Innovation and Knowledge Centre based at Imperial College London’s White City Deep Tech Campus.
The new programme is now open for applications.
Successful applicants will have access to SynbiCITE’s state-of-the-art facilities like The London BioFoundry, providing a suite of equipment and training.
Find out more about how to apply on the SynbiCITE website.
Seed corn fund
A separate £2.8 million seed corn fund will support the development and growth of commercial opportunities arising from the previously funded Engineering Biology Mission Hubs and Mission Awards research programmes, which were announced earlier this year.
The seed corn fund aims to drive the commercialisation of engineering biology discoveries and the creation of new engineering biology ventures through support for activities such as:
- scaling of technologies or products with commercial potential
- developing self-sustaining business models
- investor and end-user engagement and market discovery
- enterprise and entrepreneurship training
Enormous potential
Science Minister Lord Vallance said:
Engineering biology is a technology with transformative potential for our health, the economy and national resilience.
From the development of new medicines to creating sustainable fuels, it could significantly help us in our missions to improve healthcare, grow our economy and become a green energy superpower.
To seize these opportunities, the Government must work closely with our researchers, academics and businesses.
This funding will be a welcome boost to innovators who are working to get their engineering biology breakthroughs out of the lab, and onto the marketplace.
It is also a key part of how we are delivering the National Vision for Engineering Biology.
Critical for UK strength and opportunity
Dr Kedar Pandya, UKRI Technology Missions Fund Senior Responsible Owner and Executive Director of Cross-Council Programmes at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council said:
Engineering biology is one of the technologies critical for UK strength and opportunity.
It has the enormous potential to address global challenges and is predicted to add billions of dollars to the global economy over the next decade.
Our latest investment through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund will provide support for researchers to seize the economic potential of this transformative technology to drive growth and bring wider societal benefits to the UK.
From concept to commercialisation
Dr Amanda Collis, UKRI Technology Mission Director for Engineering Biology and Executive Director, Research Strategy and Programmes at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council said:
UKRI is investing £5.8 million to drive the translation of engineering biology from concept through to commercialisation.
Engineering biology has a huge range of real-world applications, from producing new medicines to developing disease-resistant crops, and on through to environmental remediation and enabling more sustainable manufacturing processes.
This investment will help to deliver new engineering biology ventures, products, and services across a multitude of commercial sectors, helping to stimulate economic growth.
World class research facilities
Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said:
Imperial offers a unique innovation culture that drives science entrepreneurship, world-leading expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and powerful networks. This makes us the perfect hub for this new proof of concept programme to generate new investment-ready collaborations between academics and industry working in engineering biology.
This investment is a boost to researchers at Imperial and beyond who are already developing truly innovative solutions to global sustainability and health challenges, from animal-free foods and chemical-free textile dyes to developing new vaccines.
I look forward to celebrating the next generation of groundbreaking innovations and industrial applications this programme will support, and the potential of this transformative technology to drive economic growth and bring wider societal benefits to the UK.
Professor Richard Kitney, Chair of BioMedical Systems Engineering at Imperial College London and Co-Founder and Co-Director of SynbiCITE, said:
Engineering biology is the new frontier in manufacturing, job creation and solving global challenges in health and the environment. The UK has had extraordinary success in incubating synthetic biology startups, with companies like Multus Media, Colorifix and LabGenius growing from our entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The UKRI funding will allow us to provide support and world class research facilities to more companies through the SynbiCITE Extended Proof of Concept Programme. At our White City Deep Tech Campus, part of the Imperial WestTech Corridor, we offer engineers, scientists and business expertise through SynbiCITE (incorporating the London Biofoundry), the UK’s national synthetic biology industry and engineering biology industrial accelerator.
Accelerating translation to solutions
Professor Frederic Coulon, Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Microbiology at Cranfield University said:
We are thrilled to receive the TMF Seed Corn investment, which will enable the EBIC Hub to advance innovative engineering biology and environmental biotechnologies toward commercialisation.
This funding will facilitate key activities, including the development of sustainable business models, prototype testing, and scale-up for technologies like advanced biosensors, metal mining engineered bacteria and engineered biofilm solutions for water and waste management.
Additionally, the award will provide crucial commercialisation training and mentorship for Early Career Researchers, equipping them with the skills to navigate market challenges.
Ultimately, this investment will accelerate the translation our innovations into impactful, market-ready solutions.
Further information
About UKRI Technology Missions Fund
The new UKRI Technology Missions funding is designed to exploit the UK’s global leadership in transformative technologies to help solve specific problems, while also helping cement that leading position.
Overall, UKRI is investing £320 million in Technology Missions to enable new and existing capabilities and capacity in artificial intelligence, engineering biology, future telecommunications and quantum technologies in the years 2023 to 2025 and beyond.
About the National Vision for Engineering Biology
The national vision for engineering biology published in December 2023 defines the UK government’s collective ambition for engineering biology.
It sets the direction in which government investment, policy and regulatory reform will deliver through the strands of the Science and Technology Framework.
Top image: Credit: Reptile8488, E+ via Getty Images
