In a significant stride towards pioneering advancements in synthetic biology, Rice University has inaugurated the Rice Synthetic Biology Institute (RSBI), a groundbreaking initiative designed to foster collaboration in synthetic biology research and its application in creating technologies for societal welfare.

President Reginald DesRoches articulated the institute's transformative potential: “The Rice Synthetic Biology Institute demonstrates how everyone benefits when the top minds in natural sciences and engineering collaborate at a leading research university. This research institute will draw global attention to the great work that is happening in our highly regarded synthetic biology program at Rice, and it will help us continue to attract and retain the best talent in the field.”

Synthetic biology, a field at the intersection of various disciplines, revolves around engineering living systems with novel properties to address societal challenges. RSBI, boasting over 18 faculty members and in excess of 100 students and postdoctoral scholars from the Schools of Engineering and Natural Sciences, endeavors to bolster this burgeoning community within Rice. It seeks to bridge fundamental and translational research while amplifying Rice’s global stature in this domain. This initiative follows the university's strategic investment in 2018 to enhance faculty and programs dedicated to synthetic biology.

Helmed by Professor Caroline Ajo-Franklin, an expert in biosciences, bioengineering, and chemical and biomolecular engineering, the institute is backed by an interdisciplinary faculty steering committee. Ajo-Franklin emphasized the institute’s role in fostering scientific excellence: “At Rice, we have such deep expertise in synthetic biology. Connecting that deep expertise through this institute will lead to better science and more innovation.”

Echoing this sentiment, Ramamoorthy Ramesh, executive vice president for research, highlighted Rice University's distinctive environment: “Rice University is an amazing place to learn, teach, research and innovate. The Rice Synthetic Biology Institute will ensure that our researchers are recognized on the international stage for the life-changing work they are doing in Houston and around the world.”

RSBI will propel research in designing novel living systems for applications in medicine, manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. Its initial focus will revolve around four key research themes that leverage Rice's unique strengths:

• Engineering living materials that self-replicate and self-repair, involving the biological synthesis and patterning of proteins and cells.
• Repurposing cells as natural sensors into living therapeutics for disease detection and treatment, health maintenance,
• and infection prevention.
• Developing living electronics capable of transforming biochemical information into dense electronic signals in real-time at the cell-material interface.
• Advancing cross-disciplinary scholarship to quicken the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle and address the ethical, legal, and social implications of translating these technologies to the public domain.

For more information about the Rice Synthetic Biology Institute and its endeavors, interested parties are encouraged to visit synbio.rice.edu. This initiative marks a pivotal step in Rice University's journey to become a beacon of innovation and excellence in the rapidly evolving field of synthetic biology, harnessing its interdisciplinary expertise to address some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.