Unlocking the power of Engineering Biology

Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Dame Angela McLean has today launched a new Foresight report, Engineering Biology Aspirations, which highlights the transformative potential of Engineering Biology (EngBio) to address some of the major challenges of our time – from lab-grown blood to biologically derived materials for fashion. 

This fast-moving, innovative technology applies engineering principles to the design of biological systems and processes. It can create practical solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges, addressing issues faced by people and the planet, both now and in the future. 

The report, published by the Government Office for Science, examines how we can harness EngBio to create a more sustainable future, helping to solve problems in areas such as healthcare, environmental sustainability, agriculture and energy. 

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

This is a timely report. Engineering biology is a technology with enormous potential, and it is already delivering innovations from healthcare to clean energy, supporting the missions that underpin this Government’s Plan for Change. 

Our commitment to the UK’s burgeoning engineering biology sector is clear: from £100 million investment in the Engineering Biology Mission Hubs and Awards, to efforts to improve the regulation of this critical technology, including through the new Regulatory Innovation Office.

Commenting on the report, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Dame Angela McLean said:

Engineering biology has the power to drive economic growth and deliver transformative solutions to a wide range of challenges.

This report aims be a source of inspiration across Government, industry, academia and the public, demonstrating what might be possible if we can harness the opportunities offered by engineering biology.

The paper features expert-authored chapters that consider how EngBio can aid efforts to solve global challenges. One examines the revolutionary solutions that lab-grown blood could present. Another explores how biologically derived fashion materials could reduce environmental pollution to create a more sustainable industry. Further chapters include how nitrogen-fixing cereals could produce a new sustainable generation of crops, and how microbes can help solve metal scarcity and be manufactured to create sustainable fuels and chemicals from waste. 

As the report highlights, although there is still progress to be made, with continued research, development, scale-up, and regulatory considerations, EngBio can help to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.  

The “Engineering Biology Aspirations” report is a result of cross-Government work and collaboration with leading scientists to understand this transformative technology and its vast applications.