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International collaboration on engineering biology

3 minute read

NPL has secured a major International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF) award from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) within the Japan-UK engineering biology for discovery research and cross-cutting technologies programme, co-funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).  

Ranked as “Exceptional” the research project, titled: “Orthogonal phages from non-linear sequence topologies: towards an artificial phage-host system” will be delivered in partnership with Professor Hiro Suga and his team at the University of Tokyo, who pioneer chemical methodologies for genetic re-programming. 

The funded research will create a first-in-class, chemically inspired phage and explore the basis for its host. Existing efforts in creating phages, focus on introducing synthetic genomes into bacteria and yeast and address persistent challenges in healthcare (such as antimicrobial resistance) where engineering biology will impact most. Unlike biological phages or viruses, this chemical approach, enables phage-like assembly from much shorter non-linear amino-acid sequences, which have no analogues in living systems and are not accessible to the genetic machinery of living cells.   

The project will use innovative tools for biodesign, genetic re-programming and protocells to introduce an artificial phage-host system making use of revolutionary developments in the design of phage-like capsids (NPL) and flexizyme systems as tools to reprogram the genetic code (Tokyo).  

Max Ryadnov, NPL Fellow who leads the project, said: “We are thrilled to receive the award and strengthen our collaboration with the Suga lab. The award brings an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the value of measurement for engineering biology and provides a tangible platform to explore NPL’s know-how in biological design.” 

As an application demonstrator the designed capsids will be explored to selectively target pathogens. Thus, not only will the project advance engineering biology in all its essentials, from biological design and precision genomics to protocells, but also help provide innovative solutions to address global challenges in healthcare and biomanufacturing. 

Mike Adeogun, Head of Life Sciences and Health at NPL said: “We are delighted to secure this important BBSRC award and the collaboration with Prof. Suga and the University of Tokyo. As DSIT’s National Metrology Institute, this award will form a key part of NPL’s activities in engineering biology as we continue our efforts, both nationally and internationally, to provide the required measurement infrastructure that will underpin the development and translation of engineering biology solutions to address global challenges.” 

JT Janssen, Chief Scientist at NPL said: “We are working to drive innovation and its translation across Engineering Biology and each of the five critical technology areas. The programmes we are developing will support our partners across many different sectors of the economy both nationally and internationally. This project, and its alignment to UKRI’s framework of trusted research and innovation, is a fantastic example of that.” 

Find out more about NPL’s work in Engineering Biology

08 Nov 2024