OpenBioMAPS: shared tools for accelerating UK bio-manufacturing
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Plant Sciences
Abstract
We will develop an ecosystem of open source tools to accelerate adoption of engineering biology capabilities in the UK biomanufacturing sector. IP protection allows bioenterprises freedom to operate and prevent unfair competition. However, most engineered biosystems require many "nuts- and-bolts" parts. Start-ups and SMEs, who are critical to advance UK clean growth targets through novel sustainable manufacturing processes, have limited access compared to established companies and may need to negotiate a thicket of licences.
Open licensing can reduce transaction costs in adoption of new innovations by SME's, as we demonstrated in the OpenPlant research centre. We will now expand our previous work developing DNA toolkits for plant and microbial engineering (openplant.org), legal tools for materials sharing (OpenMTA.org) and training for engineering and biology (e.g. biomaker.org). We plan to develop (i) biological engineering tools for UK bio-manufacturing companies including prototypes for microbial fermentation and plant chloroplast-based bioproduction and opportunities for commercialisation, (ii) training for academics and industry scientists to develop skills at the interface of biology and engineering; iii) mini-projects across the UK engineering biology community to promote further development of tools. Overall, this will build capacity for adoption of open source tools, principles and development practices.
Open source tools are pervasive in computing, industry estimates suggest that 80-90% of new apps are built from existing components, mostly open source. Biomanufacturing could benefit from similar reusability. We aim to establish a flagship platform to accelerate the UK biomanufacturing enterprise, and a possible springboard for establishing an Open Source Program Office (OSPO) for UK engineering biology, mirroring successful tech industry OSPOs.
Open licensing can reduce transaction costs in adoption of new innovations by SME's, as we demonstrated in the OpenPlant research centre. We will now expand our previous work developing DNA toolkits for plant and microbial engineering (openplant.org), legal tools for materials sharing (OpenMTA.org) and training for engineering and biology (e.g. biomaker.org). We plan to develop (i) biological engineering tools for UK bio-manufacturing companies including prototypes for microbial fermentation and plant chloroplast-based bioproduction and opportunities for commercialisation, (ii) training for academics and industry scientists to develop skills at the interface of biology and engineering; iii) mini-projects across the UK engineering biology community to promote further development of tools. Overall, this will build capacity for adoption of open source tools, principles and development practices.
Open source tools are pervasive in computing, industry estimates suggest that 80-90% of new apps are built from existing components, mostly open source. Biomanufacturing could benefit from similar reusability. We aim to establish a flagship platform to accelerate the UK biomanufacturing enterprise, and a possible springboard for establishing an Open Source Program Office (OSPO) for UK engineering biology, mirroring successful tech industry OSPOs.
Technical Summary
OpenBioMAPS addresses Engineering Biology for clean growth. Specifically we are developing open source tools for distributed biomanufacturing of enzymes and antibodies at low-cost using benchtop Microbial and Plant systems, with routes to scale-up for industrial plant-based production in chloroplasts. This includes a collection of i) innovative DNA toolkits for protein expression in Escherichia coli, Pichia pastoris and Marchantia polymorpha chloroplasts; ii) open strains that can be freely distributed for commercial use; iii) accompanying bioreactor and bioprocessing sensor designs that will enable UK startups and SMEs to rapidly establish protein biomanufacturing workflows with low capital expenditure.
In parallel we will work with UK biomanufacturing startups and SMEs to better understand their needs and develop a community of developers and users of open biomanufacturing tools; create training for academics and industry scientists to develop skills at the interface of biology and engineering; and run mini-projects across the UK engineering biology community to promote further development of tools. Overall, this will build capacity for adoption of open source biomanufacturing tools, principles and development practices.
Our ultimate goal is to leverage advancements in synthetic biology to reduce financial and transactional costs of microbial and plant-based protein production for researchers and innovators, ensure freedom to operate and accelerate the UK's transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.
In parallel we will work with UK biomanufacturing startups and SMEs to better understand their needs and develop a community of developers and users of open biomanufacturing tools; create training for academics and industry scientists to develop skills at the interface of biology and engineering; and run mini-projects across the UK engineering biology community to promote further development of tools. Overall, this will build capacity for adoption of open source biomanufacturing tools, principles and development practices.
Our ultimate goal is to leverage advancements in synthetic biology to reduce financial and transactional costs of microbial and plant-based protein production for researchers and innovators, ensure freedom to operate and accelerate the UK's transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.