Synthetic biology (SynBio) is an innovative concept that doesn’t have a generally agreed on definition yet. According to ATG SynBio Spain, the Spanish synthetic biology association, which collaborated on this article, SynBio combines biology, engineering and technology to design and reprogram living organisms, going beyond traditional genetic modification. This discipline acts like a biological computer code, allowing scientists to edit, reorganize and create DNA to give organisms completely new traits, like bacteria that can produce drugs or cells that eliminate cancerous tumors.
SynBio has contributed innovative solutions in very different sectors, but especially in the life sciences and healthcare field. In this arena, it is revolutionizing therapies and diagnostics. Tools like CRISPR-Cas9, which is used to edit DNA with unprecedented precision, and technologies like mRNA, key in developing the COVID-19 vaccines, have led to advances that are transforming medicine. One example is CAR-T therapies, which reprogram immune cells to fight cancer. CRISPR technologies, for example, have proved to have great potential for diagnosing diseases like COVID-19 in just minutes. Other advances include innovative biosensors that have transformed how diabetes is managed with portable devices that monitor glucose levels in real time, significantly improving patients’ quality of life.
Impact on technology and the economy
The growth of SynBio is having a huge impact on the economy. As the graph shows, from 2000 to 2015, growth of the synthetic biology sector was only moderate, with relatively low but steady levels of funding, reflecting the initial stage of exploration and development. However, from 2016, there has been a striking acceleration of its growth.
2021 was a benchmark year for the sector, with funding hitting an all-time high of $20 billion. From 2022, however, the trend has changed, which could be related to external factors like global economic uncertainty, investment being shifted to other sectors or a maturing market that moderates the initial euphoria.
Main international powers and initiatives
In terms of global leadership, the United States is at the top, investing $1.1 billion in synthetic biology in the second quarter of 2019 alone, well above the $147 million invested in the rest of the world that same period. From 2012 to 2023, the United States produced more than 20,000 scientific publications in this field, backed by key companies like Ginkgo Bioworks and Twist Bioscience. Centralized resources like the Synthetic Biology Foundry and efforts pooled through the Engineering Biology Research Consortium have optimized research and accelerated innovation, reinforcing the country’s dominance. Plus, public-private associations like the BioBricks Foundation have been key in providing open access resources and fostering commercialization.
In Europe, though, stricter regulations on genetically modified products have clearly affected the entrepreneurial world. Nevertheless, the European Union is working to limit this disadvantage with initiatives like ESCALAR, which seeks to improve access to venture capital for small and medium-sized companies, and programs like Horizon Europe, which drives research and innovation in this field.
Meanwhile, China has become a dominant force in creating intellectual property. Since 2012, the country has applied for over 25,000 synthetic biology patents, which is 49.1% of the global total. State funding and a focus on industrial applications, for example in biopharma and sustainable manufacturing, have reinforced China’s position as a key stakeholder in the global synthetic biology ecosystem.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite the advances, synthetic biology still faces important challenges. Globally, regulations are one of the main hurdles. Creating a clear regulatory framework that allows for safe innovation will be key to accelerating adoption of SynBio in sectors like healthcare and agrifood.
Another challenge is the need to improve access to funding for startups, particularly in the very early stages, to ensure their growth and global scalability. It is also key to train a new generation of multidisciplinary professionals in biology, engineering, computer sciences and entrepreneurship, as well as dealing with the ethical issues associated with SynBio, such as the use of designed organisms and the limits on genetic modifications.
Moreover, it will also be essential to build more solid bridges between academia and the industry in order to stay competitive in the synthetic biology sector and ensure it continues to grow. On this point, initiatives like ATG SynBio Spain play a key role in encouraging collaboration and connections in the Spanish synthetic biology ecosystem.
BioRegion of Catalonia advances as benchmark in synthetic biology
The life sciences and healthcare ecosystem in Catalonia is becoming a key stakeholder in the field of synthetic biology thanks to its combination of cutting-edge institutions, strategic initiatives to promote research and innovation, and a fabric of specialized companies. According to advance data from the 2024 BioRegion of Catalonia Report, which will be presented on February 17, 2025 in Barcelona, Catalan SynBio companies are showing vibrant growth.
The report reveals that biotechnology firms, with 93% of the total, make up the bulk of the synthetic biology sector in Catalonia. In terms of investment, there has been notable growth from 2020 to 2024. In 2022, there was a record €209 million invested, fueled mainly by venture capital, with €156 million. After a drop in 2023 to €123 million, the figure is expected to rise slightly in 2024, with projected investment of €127 million. Grants and crowdequity have gained ground as sources of additional funding.
Regarding rounds of investment in 2024, the 3 leading companies are InBrain Neuroelectronics, with €46.2 million in investment secured, followed by NovaMeat (€17.5 million) and Sequentia Biotech (€10 million). The most noteworthy subsectors are diagnostics with 23%, followed by artificial intelligence (14%) and gene therapy (13%). Other key subsectors include bioinformatics and initiatives related to the environment, with 10% each. By therapeutic areas, oncology clearly stands out with 27%. This is followed by diseases of the central nervous system (14%) and infectious and parasitic diseases (13%). Other areas like autoimmune, endocrine and metabolic diseases are also significant.
In research, institutions like the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) are leading advanced projects that put the region on the cutting edge of SynBio globally. Other institutions include the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), which specializes in biomaterials, bioengineering and cancer research, and IRB Barcelona, promoting multidisciplinary innovation and collaboration in many arenas. Plus, Catalonia has launched several initiatives to strengthen its position in this emerging field.
In short, synthetic biology has the potential to redefine the near future, offering up creative solutions to some of society’s most urgent challenges. Catalonia, with its clear commitment to this field, can be key in driving this new emerging sector.
