Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Mar 4;21(3):e50036.
doi: 10.15252/embr.202050036. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

Bio-informational futures: The convergence of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology

Affiliations

Bio-informational futures: The convergence of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology

Thom A Dixon et al. EMBO Rep. .

Abstract

Synthetic biology and artificial intelligence naturally converge in the biofoundry. Navigating the ethical and societal issues of the biofoundry's potential remains a major challenge.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Today's grand challenges
There are five main domains where the confluence of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence will potentially have the biggest impact. These domains are Healthy People, Resilient Societies, Prosperous Economies, a Secure Planet and Innovative Technologies.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Convergence of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence in the biofoundry
Artificial intelligence applications enable efficiency gains in the design‐build‐test‐learn cycle that can assist synthetic biology practitioners in meeting the grand challenges of the 21st century.

References

    1. Smalley E (2019) Microsoft makes splash in AI‐enabled lab solutions. Nat Biotechnol 37: 832–834 - PubMed
    1. Wintle B, Boehm C, Rhodes C, Molloy J, Adam L, Carlson R, Dando M, Doubleday R, Drexler E, Edwards B et al (2017) A transatlantic perspective on 20 emerging issues in biological engineering. eLife 6: e30247 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dixon T (2019) Mapping the potential impact of synthetic biology on Australian foreign policy. Australian Journal of International Affairs 73: 270–288
    1. Walsh T, Levy N, Bell G, Elliott A, Maclaurin J, Mareels I, Wood F (2019) The effective and ethical development of artificial intelligence: an opportunity to improve our wellbeing. Melbourne, Vic.: Australian Council of Learned Academies;
    1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine (2018) Biodefense in the age of synthetic biology. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; - PubMed

Publication types