SYNSENSO — Cell-free synthetic biology for combinatorial biosensor design

Results in brief

Cell-free synthetic biology for combinatorial biosensor design

The SYNSENSO project, rooted in the field of cell-free synthetic biology, is specifically targeting advances in biosensing applications. The overall context of this project is to respond to the growing need for more accurate, non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic tools. These tools are critical in areas such as personalised medicine, environmental monitoring and bioprocess control. The main scientific objective of SYNSENSO is to develop the core-technology for the next generation of biosensors that will run on the cell-free molecular programming platform and will combine sensing and computing. To achieve this we will focus on: - Design and optimization of reliable regulatory elements for cell-free computing circuits - Design and optimization of responsive elements for the detection of small molecules, nucleic-acids, viruses and proteins. - Systematically couple novel responsive elements with computing circuits for next-generation biosensors and evaluate them under realistic conditions - Identification of general design principles In addition to scientific advances, the project is committed to providing comprehensive training in cell-free synthetic biology and biosensing to ten doctoral candidates (DCs). This training will include interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral aspects, transferable skill training and will prepare the candidates for diverse career paths in academia and industry. An important goal of SYNSENSO is the commercial exploitation of its research results. This involves translating scientific innovations into commercial products, such as in vitro diagnostic test kits. The project emphasises open science and technology transfer to ensure rapid and effective dissemination of its innovations. SYNSENSO's path to impact includes several strategic components. First, the project fosters innovation and network building through collaborations with leading academics and industry. This network is crucial for establishing a robust European presence in synthetic biology, countering the dominance of the US in this field. Second, the project's dissemination strategy is comprehensive, including open access publications, stakeholder engagement and active communication efforts to ensure that scientific results are widely accessible and that stakeholders are kept informed of the project's progress and results.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Recent advances in the field of synthetic biology offer an unprecedented opportunity for next-generation biosensors characterized by programmability, low-cost and by a sensitivity and specificity unmet by conventional sensors. Leveraging the rich toolset of synthetic biology, we can now not only build better biosensors but also analytical tools that can sense and discern complex analyte profiles, such as a panel of biomarkers indicative of a certain disease status. These cell-free biosensors developed within the SYNSENSO research program will be transformative for many domains of research and innovation, ranging from in-vitro diagnostics to health, environmental and bioprocess monitoring. Our ambition is to provide a game change in biosensing by combining cell-free synthetic biology with molecular sensor design. The SYNSENSO European doctoral network focuses on the construction of novel programmable ligand-responsive elements and the construction of cell-free computing circuits that can integrate molecular signals from those elements. Together the two components will make up the next generation of combinatorial biosensors that can sense signals and compute a response to them. SYNSENSO aims for a modular approach where different responsive elements can be composed with different computing circuits enabling fast construction of suitable sensors for new application domains. SYNSENSO brings together academic and industry leaders from the fields of synthetic biology, molecular sensor design and DNA nanotechnology. Our industry partners will provide a unique ecosystem for ten doctoral candidates of this network. Together with the external advisory board including experts from medical diagnostics they will work on concrete case studies for clinically relevant analytes. The SYNSENSO training program will empower them to perform world-class research and become academic or industry leaders in this new emerging field at the intersection of synthetic biology and biosensors.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADT · DarmstadtCoordinatorGermany
ACCELOPMENT SCHWEIZ AG · ZurichSwitzerland
Abvance Biotech srl · MadridSpain
BIOMERIEUX SA · Marcy-l'EtoileFrance
BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND INFORMATION NETWORK AG · ZwingenbergGermany
DYNAMIC BIOSENSORS GMBH · MUNICHGermany
Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II · NaplesItaly
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA · GenovaItaly
HELYX INDUSTRIES SPA · UDINEItaly
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE · LondonUnited Kingdom
LENIOBIO GMBH · DusseldorfGermany
Nuclera Nucleics Ltd · CambridgeUnited Kingdom
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN · EindhovenNetherlands
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA · RomaItaly

SYNSENSO · Cell-free synthetic biology for combinatorial biosensor design

Results in brief

Cell-free synthetic biology for combinatorial biosensor design

Project objective

Participants

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