Engineering Biology Metrics and Technical Standards for the Global Bioeconomy

EBRC, with partners at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Imperial College London, and the National University of Singapore (NUS), and supported by Schmidt Futures, have organized a global task force focused on determining the engineering biology metrics and technical standards needed to accelerate the global bioeconomy. The task force seeks to identify a variety of standards and metrics that are most needed to enable scale-up capabilities, improve reproducibility across batches and geographies, and enhance the performance of microbial factories and bio-products. The activities of this group will lay the groundwork for the establishment of open voluntary standards for engineering biology that enable the rapid growth and success of the global bioeconomy.

This initiative will involve extensive external stakeholder engagement with the international synthetic biology/engineering biology industry including start-ups and SMEs, policymakers, regulators, national measurement labs, and bioindustry trade bodies and associations. These external engagements will feed into the organization and coordination of three physical workshops in the US, EU, and Asia with a fourth and final workshop bringing together all stakeholders to map a way forward. You can find more information here.

Task Force Leadership:
India Hook-Barnard – EBRC
Elizabeth Strychalski – NIST
Paul Freemont – Imperial College London
Matthew Chang – National University of Singapore
Mary Maxon – Schmidt Futures

As a part of this effort, the Task Force is coordinating three regional workshops. Workshops are by invitation only and will be held in person. If you are interested in attending a regional workshop, please reach out to EBRC at helix@ebrc.org.

Americas workshop
Co-hosted by EBRC and NIST
Washington D.C.
7-9 June 2023

Asia/Australia workshop
Hosted by NUS
Singapore
29-31 August 2023

Europe/Africa workshop
Hosted by Imperial College
Brussels
25-27 September 2023