Synthetic and Engineering Biology in Australia: Advances in Infrastructure, Coordination and Impact

Synthetic and engineering biology in Australia is a vibrant and expanding area, with the potential to contribute to Australian priorities, industry growth and international initiatives. This paper provides a progress update on the field in Australia since 2021. The initial section provides historical context and an overview of the importance and potential impact. The second section focuses on the building and expansion of a strong community and mechanisms for coordination, noting need for industry coordination beyond the research sector. Governments have an important role in enabling development, with the Australian Government and State Governments implementing strategies and initiatives linked to national and regional priorities. The regulatory landscape for genetic technologies is also described, highlighting recent approvals and the overall enabling environment in Australia. The penultimate section provides details on major research initiatives, showing the growth in funding and how synthetic and engineering biology technologies are being developed and applied in an increasing range of application areas. Finally, there has been a notable expansion in the number of start-up companies and industry partnerships in Australia since 2021, with details provided about the companies and the drivers for this growth, as well as the challenges in accessing scale-up and commercialisation infrastructure.