Government Chief Scientific Adviser champions engineering biology
This week saw the publication of Engineering Biology Aspirations, the final output of Angela McLean’s Year of Engineering Biology. The report sets out an ambitious, forward-looking vision for the field, exploring how engineering biology could shape the future of everything from food and fashion to fuel and health.
Using five case studies, the report illustrates the breadth of potential applications:
- Bio-synthetic fuels – engineering microbes to convert waste into sustainable fuels and chemicals.
- Nitrogen-fixing cereals – developing crops that need less fertiliser, supporting more sustainable agriculture.
- Future fashion – using microorganisms to create textiles in cleaner, safer ways.
- Lab-grown blood – developing a reliable, safe and scalable blood supply.
- Microbial metal factories – recycling metals to support greener industrial processes.
While the report is unapologetically aspirational, it also highlights the real-world challenges the sector must overcome. Issues around scaling and funding, public trust, regulation, and investment in foundational research, skills and training are clearly laid out.
At BIA, we’re continuing to push for solutions to these challenges. Our recent deep biotech policy recommendations – covering infrastructure, finance and regulatory priorities – aim to ensure the UK can realise the opportunities identified in this report.
It’s worth noting that this report is not government policy. When asked about government investment into engineering biology, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser deferred to the upcoming Spending Review in June, which is when we shall see if Treasury shares GO-Science’s enthusiasm for the sector.
