Horizon Scanning Series
Synthetic Biology in Australia: An outlook to 2030
Synthetic biology involves the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, as well as the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes.
Synthetic biology involves the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, as well as the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes. With early applications spanning across health care, climate change mitigation, biocontrol, agriculture and manufacturing the opportunities are significant. However, accompanying the high expectations of these technologies, there is considerable uncertainty and active debate on related social, cultural, ethical, health, economic, regulatory and legal issues.
This project will examine the opportunities and issues that synthetic biology will be likely to exert in Australia in the coming decade.
“The possibilities of synthetic biology are limitless. The question for Australians is which avenues to pursue, and how to do so in a manner that earns consumers’ trust”
Dr Alan Finkel
1. Examine the transformative role that synthetic biology might play in Australia across different sectors.
2. Consider the opportunities and challenges for advancing synthetic biology in Australia.
3. Analyse the future education, workforce and infrastructure requirements to support an Australian synthetic biology industry.
4. Examine the ethical, legal and social considerations and frameworks required to enable and support synthetic biology developments.
1. Synthetic biology presents a unique opportunity to address many global challenges: to meet increasing demands for energy and food; to mitigate the effects of environmental degradation; to enhance human and veterinary health and well-being. Australia is well-placed to become a leader in this emerging field with its strong science base in many essential disciplines and high-level expertise in agro-industries.
2. Synthetic biology is poised to transform existing industries and create new business opportunities for Australia in health, industrial biotechnology and agriculture. Focused and coordinated efforts will allow Australia to build new globally competitive industries, and to protect the export base for existing agro-industries.
3. Developing effective mechanisms to proactively communicate the potential benefits and risks of synthetic biology will be critical to earning and maintaining public trust. Without effective community engagement and strong societal oversight, it may be difficult to apply synthetic biology and realise its potential benefits.
4. Australia’s gene technology regulatory system is considered to be among the most effective and progressive in the world. The proactive approach taken to ensuring the regulatory system stays up-to-date with new genetic technologies, industry trends andinternational developments will be essential for the development of a thriving synthetic biology industry in Australia.
5. Development and improvement of Australia’s synthetic biology capability will require a skilled workforce with advanced capabilities spanning both the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) disciplines.
6. There is a need for an integrated, national infrastructure platform for synthetic biology that supports efforts to achieve international competitiveness.
The creation of novel and redesigned biological components, networks and systems is at the core of synthetic biology. Emerging from the established field of gene technology, synthetic biology applies engineering principles to biology to allow the rational design, construction and combination of nucleic acid sequences or proteins, using standardised genetic parts. This approach opens up new opportunities for us to design and create novel metabolic pathways, derive valuable biomolecules, and produce engineered organisms for use in a number of environmental, industrial, and medical applications.
Synthetic biology provides new ways to address major societal challenges in energy and food production, environmental protection and healthcare. The rapid advancement of synthetic biology as a field is being driven by major investments made by several leading research nations, including the US, the UK, China, Singapore and Korea.
Given the breadth of potential applications for synthetic biology, strategically building capabilities in areas of strength will be critical for Australia’s future prosperity. The report identifies these areas as industry and energy, agriculture and food, environment and biocontrol, and health and medicine. Synthetic biology provides opportunities for the development of new industries that will produce new and improved products and services, ranging from specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals and vaccines, to biosensors and bioremediation products, to biofuels. These industries will provide new jobs and exports and support the continued growth of the Australian economy. Our agriculture sector will be highly dependent on the adoption of synthetic biology to remain competitive and to control invasive pests and diseases. The health of Australians will be greatly enhanced by our uptake of synthetic biology applications to improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and to improve our diet.
Beyond the existing and developing applications discussed in this report, synthetic biology is also likely to have broad-reaching and unforeseen impacts. Diverse industries are likely to be expanded, while others will be transformed or replaced. There is substantial uncertainty surrounding the social, environmental and economic impacts that synthetic biology will have on Australia and we must be prepared for the transformative changes this field can and will have. Hence the report also considers the social, ethical and regulatory frameworks that will be needed to support its future governance and advancement.
Applications to transform the economy
Australia’s strengths in several relevant fields of research and the availability of agricultural resources as feedstock for industrial biotechnology applications, give synthetic biology the potential to deliver significant benefits for Australia. These benefits can be expected across industry and transport, agriculture and food, sustainability and the environment, and health and medicine. In some cases, the use of synthetic biology will make entirely new products and services possible. In other cases, it will improve the efficiency and productivity of existing products, processes and systems. It will be important that Australia’s regulatory environment anticipates the rapid advances occurring in synthetic biology.
Advanced biomanufacturing
Developments in synthetic biology at an industrial scale can be used for the production of fine and bulk chemicals, biologics and other valuable biomolecules using cell factories engineered through synthetic biology. An early success internationally which demonstrated feasibility was the commercial production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO), an intermediate chemical used in the manufacture of certain plastics, polyurethanes and elastic fibres. BDO is not a natural product and its synthesis in bacteria requires a combination of enzymes from several different organisms. Other examples include the development of microbial strains to make the high energy liquid fuels needed for aviation from renewable, low carbon, agricultural feedstocks and the production of high value biomolecules in crops, fragrances from yeast, and novel antimicrobial drugs and vaccines. As the field advances, the capture, extraction and integration of the vast amounts of data generated in the design and development of production processes will rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning to design suitable cell lines and microbial strains for use as superior cell factories.
Opportunities for agriculture
The introduction of desirable new traits to crop plants has the potential to transform Australian agriculture. Building upon earlier techniques for genetic modification, synthetic biology can provide higher levels of precision, predictability, control and sophistication than traditional gene technology approaches to help increase crop and livestock yields and sustainability. Possible improvements include more efficient use of water, increased photosynthetic performance, better nitrogen fixation and nutrient uptake, and resistance to pests and disease. Consumer benefits may include nutritional improvements, such as increased digestibility, dietary fibre, oil quality, and the removal of allergenic proteins from milk, eggs and nuts.
Protecting the environment
The release of toxic chemicals from industrial, agricultural and mining processes can threaten environmental health, the natural balance within ecosystems and the safety and use of water and other natural resources. Synthetic biology provides sensing systems which can inform us on the state of the environment, as well as sense-and- response systems that can be used to detect contaminants and respond by producing the enzymes required for remediation. Synthetic biology can also provide alternatives to the use of chemicals to control invasive and pest species, such as mice and weeds, by introducing genetic changes that limit the capacity of the pest organisms to reproduce. Improved resilience to the effects of climate change in key ecosystem species is also a target. Strong capabilities in ecology and population modelling are required to predict the effects of releasing engineered organisms and will be critical to the effective use and safe implementation of such synthetic biology applications.
Health and quality of life
Australia is widely recognised for its excellence in health and medical research. This capability is enabled by modern research facilities and high-quality clinical trials infrastructure. Within this context, synthetic biology has the potential to revolutionise the way biological tools are developed and used to advance the wellbeing of humans, manage human and animal health and enhance commercial opportunity in biomedicine. Cell engineering is an area of significant potential for Australia, with many different applications. One example is human cancer immunotherapy, with several Australian groups designing novel chimeric molecules to mediate aspects of immune function. Redesigned antibody molecules are being engineered into immune cells that can target tumours, bypass harmful immune responses and deliver therapeutics directly to the affected tissue. Opportunities also exist to use synthetic biology to produce antibiotics and other molecules for which routine chemical synthesis is too complex or economically unfeasible. The ability to use genetic circuits in diagnostic devices or to synthesise vaccines and improved antimicrobial agents holds significant promise, both commercially and to benefit the health system. A further example that demonstrates the powerful medical applications of synthetic biology is the study of brain function in people diagnosed with neuro- degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, where investigations are hampered by the inability to visualise the release and uptake of neurotransmitters. Biosensors with exquisite sensitivity and capable of differentiating between biochemicals would improve our understanding of the underlying pathology and greatly enhance pre-clinical models of these diseases.
Moral issues, ethics, legal and social aspects
Understanding the social context of technological innovation is important for both responsible development and technology uptake. Establishing active community engagement programs to share information with the public about synthetic biology, earn public confidence, and support appropriate governance and agile regulatory processes will be vital for innovation in synthetic biology to progress. The emergence of synthetic biology presents an opportunity to develop community engagement approaches that are more effective than those deployed with the introduction of gene technology. Policy makers and researchers are aware of the shortcomings of previous approaches, which tended to focus on simply explaining the technology and its potential production benefits. New approaches are needed to integrate ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA) of synthetic biology into the research and innovation process from its earliest stages. This includes acknowledgement that synthetic biology, in common with other technologies, can be used for both good and ill. The technologies and applications that are the end product of the research and innovation process need to reflect the values and concerns of the society they are to serve. Quantitative and qualitative research in the US and the EU indicates that public awareness and understanding of synthetic biology is low. Equivalent studies undertaken in Australia show a similarly low awareness but indicate generally positive sentiments towards how synthetic biology could improve our way of life in the future (Office of the Gene Technology Regulator, 2017).
- Download full report (PDF):
- Download report extract (PDF):
- Media release July 2019 (link):
Launch of Synthetic Biology in Australia report
The project report Synthetic Biology in Australia: an outlook to 2030, was launched by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel AO FAA FTSE at Customs House in Brisbane on 4 September 2018.
Expert Working Group
ACOLA, for its established ability to deliver interdisciplinary evidence-based research that draws on specialist expertise from Australia’s Learned Academies, convenes the Synthetic Biology Expert Working Group (EWG) to guide the development of a targeted study that draws input from several disciplines to create a well-considered, balanced and peer-reviewed report. The role of the EWG is to provide strategic oversight and provide expert input, analysis and provocative thinking.
Authors
Supported by Mischa Davenport, Dr Suvi Honkanen, Professor Lars Nielsen, Dean Tyler, Rebecca Wood, and the contributions of many experts throughout Australia as acknowledged in the consultation list. Economics work was supported by Dr John Bell FTSE of ACIL Allen Consulting.
Peer Reviewers
This report has been reviewed by an independent panel of experts. Members of this review panel were not asked to endorse the Report’s conclusions and findings. The Review Panel members acted in a personal, not organisational, capacity and were asked to declare any conflicts of interest.
ACOLA gratefully acknowledges their contribution.
| Professor Chris Easton FAA | Professor Richard H Furneaux FNZIC FRSNZ |
| Professor Rob Sparrow | Professor Louis Waller AO FASSA |
Project Management
| Dr Angus Henderson | Dr Lauren Palmer |
Project Funding and Support
ACOLA gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the Australian Government through the Commonwealth Science Council; the Office of the Chief Scientist; CSIRO; and the Department of Health.
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Report Acknowledgements
ACOLA and the Expert Working Group offer their sincere gratitude to the experts and research assistants who have extensively contributed to this report as well as the project stakeholders who have offered input throughout its development.
We would particularly like to thank the following people for their valuable research assistance during the project: Mischa Davenport regarding the ethical, legal and social aspects of synthetic biology; Dr Suvi Honkanen regarding synthetic biology in agriculture and food production; Professor Lars Nielsen regarding synthetic biology in energy and industry; and Dean Tyler regarding health and medical synthetic biology. We would also like to thank Rebecca Wood for undertaking valuable research and writing across multiple aspects of the report and for providing ongoing support during the project.
We gratefully acknowledge the expertise and contributions from the many experts who have helped shape and develop the report. In particular, we acknowledge the university stakeholders, researchers and industry stakeholders who took the time to respond to the project survey and calls for input. We would also like to thank the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) and Synthetic Biology Australasia (SBA), in particular Associate Professor Oliver Rackham, for sharing the survey with their networks.
Our thanks to the Expert Working Group who put a great deal of time, effort, and insight into the report’s conceptualisation and production, and also to the ACOLA Secretariat, in particular Dr Lauren Palmer and Dr Angus Henderson, who made significant contributions to supporting the Expert Working Group and managing the project.
Further information on these contributions can be found under ‘evidence gathering’.
Our special thanks to CSIRO, the Department of Health and the Office of the Chief Scientist for both financial and in-kind support.
Acknowledgement of Country
ACOLA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians of the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
