BaseHunter: A software tool making synthetic gene procurement faster, more efficient and traceable

Synthetic biology is an emerging discipline that seeks to build new biological systems for useful purposes. This task is achieved by inserting new arrangements of genes (sequences of DNA that encode proteins) into living organisms. The genes used in these engineered systems are frequently synthesized from scratch by commercial vendors. Currently, synthetic gene procurement is time consuming and expensive. These problems stem from inefficient pricing and poor market transparency. In this 12-month project, we will address these issues through the development and validation of BaseHunter - an online synthetic gene procurement tool that will ensure researchers are free to spend their time and resources solving scientific problems, not logistical ones.