BrisEngBio: From Synthetic to Engineering Biology at Bristol

Synthetic biology can be defined as the application of physical and engineering principles to the design or redesign of biological components and systems. The aim is to learn how to manipulate biological molecules and systems to generate new synthetic biological functions and devices. This advances fundamental science, and it presents routes to tackle pressing challenges spanning medicine, food security, and the environment. Indeed, even in the early days of synthetic biology, there was always the aspiration that synthetic biology would open doors to new biotechnologies to transform lives.

Over the past ten years, through a programme called Synthetic Biology for Growth, the UK Research Councils (now collectively called UKRI) were world-leading in defining what synthetic biology is and establishing it as mainstream scientific activity in UK universities and research institutes. This has been extremely successful and there are now several UKRI-funded centres of excellence around the UK. One of these is at the University of Bristol and is called BrisSynBio. This centre conducts fundamental synthetic-biology research, helps train the next generation of synthetic biologists, and performs outreach and public-engagement activities. BrisSynBio has also led directly to the incorporation of several new biotechnology companies.

The UKRI is now building on this platform through a new initiative called the National Engineering Biology Programme (NEBP). The aim of this is to realise the full potential of synthetic biology by promoting and supporting the application of this science to kick-start a new and transformative biotechnology sector. The NEBP poses several themes in research and innovation to address current societal challenges in biomedicine, clean growth, food systems, and the environment. Based on the success and firm foundation of BrisSynBio, we propose a new Bristol Centre for Engineering Biology, BrisEngBio, to address the aspirations and challenges of the NEBP.

BrisEngBio will bring together 55 biological & physical scientists, computational experts & theoreticians, and engineers from 11 Schools and 4 Faculties across the University of Bristol. Together, these researchers will work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle pressing scientific and technology problems that will impact several of the above grand societal challenges. These include: designing new protein molecules to diagnose and then repair problems associated with diseases in living cells; harnessing newly discovered strains of bacteria from deep-sea sponges to produce a new generation of antibiotics; developing different ways of delivering biologically active compounds and medicines into living organisms; and understanding how microbes might be incorporated into composite materials to install new physical properties with impacts across a wide range of manufacturing processes.

Much of the work that underpins these projects is fundamental science. However, there is also considerable potential to use results from this work to solve real-world problems through the so-called "translation of basic science". To enable this and to best ensure that BrisEngBio's science is brought to market, we will employ a dedicated Innovation Manager who is an expert in synthetic biology and biotechnology. As well as working with BrisEngBio researchers, they will help to protect intellectual property through patents or licensing deals, liaise with local and national industry to foster collaborations and partnerships, and, when appropriate, advise on spinning out new biotech companies into Bristol's growing and vibrant bioeconomy. To support this, we plan to work with a local company called Science Creates, which provides incubator space for new biotechnology companies, training activities for early career researchers and future bio-entrepreneurs, and, when needed, access to the investors required to fund biotechnology ventures beyond the initial publicly funded research.

BrisEngBio is organised into 4 Research Strands that cover key and strong interdisciplinary interfaces between the life & physical sciences and engineering at Bristol. These are in: Biomolecular design and assembly in cells; Development and delivery of bioactive molecules; Synthetic cells & organs, and cell-based therapeutics; and Engineering living & sustainable composite interfaces. These will be supported by a Cross-cutting Enabler in Data-driven design, advanced computing & modelling across scales. A second Underpinning Enabler in Innovation, translation, and partnerships will coordinate and deliver BrisEngBio's translational agenda. Leads of these Strands and Enablers have been appointed to give the best complementary expertise and to ensure equality, diversity, and inclusion across BrisEngBio.

To support research and translation, we request support for 12 1-year PDRAs. 4 will be appointed immediately to the Exemplar projects associated with each Strand. The remaining 8 will be appointed in fair and open competition to interdisciplinary and commercially focused projects that emerge from BrisEngBio Sandpits held in Year 1.

The management and governance of BrisEngBio will be as follows: Woolfson (who led BrisSynBio) will lead BrisEngBio. With succession planning in mind, he will be assisted by fellows Marucci and Gorochowski from Engineering Mathematics and Biological Sciences, respectively, as Co-Is. These 3 will be joined on the Management Committee (MC) by Sedgley as BrisEngBio's experienced Scientific Manager. In turn, they will be joined by a lead from each of the 4 Strands and 2 Enablers to form the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC). In addition, the MC, the Innovation Manager and representatives from our industrial partners will form an Innovation Committee (IC) to organise training and translational activities. Oversight will be provided by an independent and international Scientific Advisory Board of eminent scientists and industrialists.