Using a synthetic biology approach to engineer urban water system biofilms

"Synthetic biology aims to design and engineer biologically based parts, novel devices and systems as well as redesigning existing, natural biological systems" (The Royal Academy of Engineering (2009) Synthetic Biology: scope, applications and implications. ISBN:1-903496-44-6). This exciting and emerging technology is largely directed at providing solutions for challenges within the manufacturing, healthcare and energy sectors. Synthetic biology offers exciting and new possibilities that have the potential to transform the water industry by offering new biologically based solutions to address global water challenges. However little attention has been directed at developing synthetic biology solutions to address urban water systems challenges such as increased performance, enhanced water quality and energy saving. Current synthetic biology activities in the water arena tend to address specific research challenges (e.g. biosensors, biodesalination, microbial fuel cells) and are yet to be translated to application beyond the laboratory scale. What is missing is a demonstrated synthetic biology led solution that not only addresses the technical challenges of deploying such a solution within the urban water environment, but also engages the appropriate stakeholders to address and debate concerns over governance, acceptability and risk. The bright IDEA is to provide such an example. Here, a synthetic biology approach is used to design and engineer urban water system biofilms, transforming their current negative image into a positive resource. More specifically, an engineered biofilm will be designed and tested to reduce frictional losses and repair wall defects to increase hydraulic capacity and reduce in/ex filtration within sewers. This will be achieved within a controlled urban water environment at different engineering scales. As well as addressing the technical challenges of engineering biofilms with desired characteristics, within a complex environment, the social issues and implications will also be discussed through various stakeholder engagements and a focused workshop. This project will therefore provide a synthetic biology led solution for increasing performance within sewer networks, and provide the basis to investigate the translation and implementation challenges for deploying the solution within the urban water environment. This project will also provide the foundation for UK based research centre focused on urban water challenges that ensures effective engagement and communication with the appropriate stakeholders to set the research priorities and deliver synthetic biology solutions both now and in the future.

The UK water industry invests over £4B annually with steady growth projected for the foreseeable future (www.innovateuk.org/sustainabilityktn). The global water technology market is estimated at £231.5 B (Global Water Intelligence). Therefore, the potential market for technologies that are more reliable and cost effective than current technology ranks on the order millions of pounds per year. Process improvement and infrastructure performance enhancement technologies that reduce resource usage, save energy and minimize costs will have significant future markets and economic impact. The specific example addressed here will impact directly on the UK's public sewer system, which has an estimated replacement asset value of £104B. Synthetic biology led solutions that are able to address global water challenges both now and in the future therefore have the potential for major wealth creation via the generation of new science, new solutions, new technologies and products and improved efficiencies and performance.

The impact on the water Industry and its future competitiveness is not only limited to the provision of new technical solutions, but the bright IDEA presented here also offers a transformative shift in attitude. Using synthetic biology led solutions to address urban water challenges demonstrates the positive potential of the biological community, rather than a negative entity that needs to be avoided and removed. The stakeholder engagements will also address attitudes surrounding the deployment of synthetic biology systems within the urban water system context. This research will therefore have impact on the policy arena and the wider public as new understandings and tools are development to address water challenges with the societal issues of high importance. The research will also impact on research funding and policy through the development of a roadmap that sets out the priorities for UK research excellence, technology needs, barriers to innovation and future opportunities.

The long term academic impact is the development of a research centre that focuses the UK research capability and expertise to address synthetic biology solutions for urban water systems. Through demonstrated examples, this centre will provide the focal point for future research activities offering a framework to successfully integrate and demonstrate synthetic biology led solutions for global water challenges with genuine and long term stakeholder engagement.