Research
Synthetic biology is about designing and building new biological components (parts to cells), either by modifying existing components or by creating entirely new ones. By adopting an engineering approach, the aim is move from construction to function, in a predictable way.
The global synthetic biology market is experiencing rapid growth, with estimates suggesting it will expand from approximately $13.4 billion in 2022 to over $116 billion by 2032.
This growth is driven by advancements in DNA sequencing, gene editing, automation, and artificial intelligence, enabling the development of innovative applications in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, energy, and biomanufacturing.
Using the synthetic biology approach, here are some of the key applications that CSBB is driving:
- Health: personalised immunotherapy, engineered probiotics, lab-grown organoids
- Environment: Carbon sequestration, microbial bioreactors, upcycling waste materials
- Materials: Fragrances, food additives, fabric dyes, cosmetics
- Manufacturing: biopharma, fragrances, flavours, chemicals, enzymes
Scientists
Collaborations
Industry
- SciGenom, Kochi
- Alstonia Bio, Kochi
Academia
- NCAAH, CUSAT, Kochi
Advanced Instrumentation Facility
COMING SOON
![cvj1[1]](https://cvjsynbio.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cvj11-820x770.webp "cvj1[1]")
AI in Synthetic Biology
Artificial intelligence is a key enabler in our work, driving rapid advancements in synthetic biology. By integrating AI algorithms with biological data, we can accelerate the design of genetic circuits, optimize metabolic pathways, and predict how engineered organisms will behave. AI allows us to scale up research faster than ever before, turning complex biological challenges into solvable problems.
Key Projects
AI-powered genetic circuit design for medical diagnostics
Machine learning models for optimizing biomanufacturing processes
Predictive modeling for environmental biosensors
1.Health Applications of Synthetic Biology: Revolutionizing Medicine
Synthetic biology is transforming the future of healthcare by enabling groundbreaking innovations in how we understand, treat, and prevent diseases. By merging biology with engineering principles, synthetic biology allows us to create programmable, precise, and personalized solutions to some of the most complex medical challenges.
At CSBB, we are developing (a) Personalized immunotherapy , such as CAR-T cell therapy, harnesses the body’s immune system by engineering a patient’s own cells to target and destroy cancer cells with unmatched specificity (b) Engineered probiotics enabled treatments for gut health, chronic diseases, and even mental health. and (c) the lab-grown organoids and bioprinting have paved the way for personalized drug testing, regenerative medicine, and future organ replacements, eliminating the need for donors and reducing rejection risks.
These cutting-edge applications exemplify how synthetic biology is poised to revolutionize medicine, offering highly targeted, efficient, and customizable healthcare solutions.
At CSBB, we are developing (a) Personalized immunotherapy , such as CAR-T cell therapy, harnesses the body’s immune system by engineering a patient’s own cells to target and destroy cancer cells with unmatched specificity (b) Engineered probiotics enabled treatments for gut health, chronic diseases, and even mental health. and (c) the lab-grown organoids and bioprinting have paved the way for personalized drug testing, regenerative medicine, and future organ replacements, eliminating the need for donors and reducing rejection risks.
These cutting-edge applications exemplify how synthetic biology is poised to revolutionize medicine, offering highly targeted, efficient, and customizable healthcare solutions.
2. Sustainable innovations : environmental applications of synthetic biology
As the world grapples with pressing environmental challenges, synthetic biology emerges as a beacon of hope, offering innovative solutions that harness the power of biological systems for sustainability. By reimagining the relationships between organisms and their environments, synthetic biology paves the way for transformative applications that address climate change, pollution, and resource depletion.
Our research is focused on:
Our research is focused on:
Developing engineered microorganisms that can efficiently capture and convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into useful products, significantly reducing greenhouse gas levels and combating global warming.
Engineering microbes capable of degrading persistent pollutants, such as plastics and heavy metals, in contaminated environments, leading to cleaner air, soil, and water.
Designing crops with enhanced resilience to climate extremes, pests, and diseases, along with engineered soil microbes that improve nutrient uptake and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Utilizing synthetic biology to upcycle waste materials into valuable resources, including biofuels, bioplastics, and chemicals, creating a closed-loop system that minimizes waste.
3. Building the Future: Synthetic Biology for Sustainable Biomaterials
Synthetic biology is unlocking new possibilities in biomaterials production, offering sustainable, bio-based alternatives for a wide range of industries. By leveraging engineered organisms, we can now produce fragrances, food additives, fabric dyes, cosmetics, and other high-value materials in eco-friendly ways. This innovative approach reduces environmental impact, promotes sustainability, and enables more efficient production processes that were once dependent on resource-intensive or chemical-based methods. At our center, we are advancing research and development in this field, pioneering new ways to create materials that are not only functional but also sustainable for the future.
By harnessing engineered organisms, we can now create high-value materials such as fragrances, food additives, fabric dyes, and cosmetics through biological processes rather than traditional chemical synthesis or resource-intensive extraction. These bio-based alternatives not only reduce environmental impact but also enable precise, scalable production of complex materials that were once difficult or costly to obtain. From crafting eco-friendly dyes for textiles to producing natural flavors and fragrances for everyday products, synthetic biology is transforming the biomaterials landscape, offering a greener and more efficient approach to manufacturing. At our center, we are at the forefront of this movement, driving cutting-edge research and applications that redefine sustainable production.
The global biomaterials market was valued at approximately $120 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach over $295 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 10%. This growth is fueled by the increasing demand for sustainable alternatives in various industries such as textiles, food, and cosmetics.
By harnessing engineered organisms, we can now create high-value materials such as fragrances, food additives, fabric dyes, and cosmetics through biological processes rather than traditional chemical synthesis or resource-intensive extraction. These bio-based alternatives not only reduce environmental impact but also enable precise, scalable production of complex materials that were once difficult or costly to obtain. From crafting eco-friendly dyes for textiles to producing natural flavors and fragrances for everyday products, synthetic biology is transforming the biomaterials landscape, offering a greener and more efficient approach to manufacturing. At our center, we are at the forefront of this movement, driving cutting-edge research and applications that redefine sustainable production.
The global biomaterials market was valued at approximately $120 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach over $295 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 10%. This growth is fueled by the increasing demand for sustainable alternatives in various industries such as textiles, food, and cosmetics.
4. The Future of Biomanufacturing
As synthetic biology continues to advance, the biomanufacturing market is set for explosive growth. According to recent estimates, the global biomanufacturing market could exceed $100 billion by 2030 , as industries increasingly turn to bio-based, sustainable alternatives for production.
Synthetic biology is not only shaping the future of biomanufacturing but also creating new market opportunities across a wide range of sectors, from materials to medicine. As the demand for environmentally friendly and scalable production solutions grows, synthetic biology is emerging as the key enabler of sustainable innovation.
Synthetic biology is ushering in a new era of biomanufacturing , enabling the production of high-value materials, chemicals, and biofuels through sustainable, bio-based processes. By leveraging engineered microbes and cells, synthetic biology transforms industries traditionally dependent on resource-intensive and environmentally damaging methods. The biomanufacturing sector is rapidly expanding, addressing diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, textiles, food production, cosmetics, and renewable energy.
Synthetic biology is not only shaping the future of biomanufacturing but also creating new market opportunities across a wide range of sectors, from materials to medicine. As the demand for environmentally friendly and scalable production solutions grows, synthetic biology is emerging as the key enabler of sustainable innovation.
Synthetic biology is ushering in a new era of biomanufacturing , enabling the production of high-value materials, chemicals, and biofuels through sustainable, bio-based processes. By leveraging engineered microbes and cells, synthetic biology transforms industries traditionally dependent on resource-intensive and environmentally damaging methods. The biomanufacturing sector is rapidly expanding, addressing diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, textiles, food production, cosmetics, and renewable energy.
Enabling Technologies of Synthetic Biology
Synthetic biology is driven by a suite of cutting-edge enabling technologies that allow precise manipulation of biological systems for various applications. These technologies make it possible to design, engineer, and optimize organisms for functions that were previously unimaginable:
Key Projects
DNA Sequencing and Synthesis:
Rapid advancements in DNA sequencing and gene synthesis allow researchers to read and write genetic information more efficiently and at lower costs. This enables the creation of synthetic DNA sequences tailored for specific tasks, such as producing biofuels or pharmaceuticals
CRISPR and Gene Editing:
CRISPR-Cas9 and other gene-editing tools allow precise modifications of genomes, making it easier to insert, delete, or modify genes. These tools have revolutionized the ability to engineer organisms for desired traits, such as improved metabolic pathways in microbes.
Automated and High-Throughput Screening
Automation and high-throughput screening technologies enable rapid testing of thousands of biological variants, accelerating the design-build-test cycles for new biological systems. Robotic labs and microfluidics are key components in this advancement.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and machine learning algorithms are essential for predicting protein structures, optimizing metabolic pathways, and designing efficient biological circuits. Tools like AlphaFold are pushing the boundaries of understanding complex biological interactions.
Metabolic Engineering and Pathway Optimization:
Metabolic engineering focuses on optimizing organisms to produce valuable compounds, such as chemicals, fuels, or pharmaceuticals, by tweaking their biochemical pathways. This ensures higher yields and more efficient production processes
AI in Synthetic Biology
Artificial intelligence is a key enabler in our work, driving rapid advancements in synthetic biology. By integrating AI algorithms with biological data, we can accelerate the design of genetic circuits, optimize metabolic pathways, and predict how engineered organisms will behave. AI allows us to scale up research faster than ever before, turning complex biological challenges into solvable problems.
Key Projects:
AI-powered genetic circuit design for medical diagnostics
Machine learning models for optimizing biomanufacturing processes
Predictive modeling for environmental biosensors
Biomanufacturing in the Biorevolution
At CSBB, we are spearheading the biorevolution through advanced biomanufacturing techniques that utilize engineered organisms as "living factories." These organisms, which have been optimized with the help of AI, produce high-value chemicals, biofuels, and materials in a sustainable manner, contributing to cleaner, greener industries.
Key Projects:
Development of AI-optimized microbes for bio-based chemical production
Scaling AI-enhanced bio-manufacturing processes for industrial use
Engineering renewable biofuels using AI-assisted microbial engineering
Engineered Biology for the Future
Our research focuses on engineered biology, where we design and build biological systems to perform new and useful tasks. Whether it's creating microbes to produce novel compounds or engineering cells for therapeutic purposes, our work in synthetic biology is at the heart of the global biorevolution.
Key Projects:
Engineered microbes for the production of rare pharmaceuticals
Design of synthetic organisms using AI-driven gene editing tools
Developing biocatalysts for sustainable industrial processes
Reg No: EKM/TC/667/2023 | Registered under The Travancore-Cochin Literary Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act 1955
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Centre for Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing, CUSAT Technology Business Incubator, 3rd Floor, CUSAT-Students' Amenity Centre, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kalamassery, Kochi 682 022