Our goal is to provide 21st century solutions to global agricultural, food production, manufacturing, healthcare and environmental challenges. For thousands of years we have used microbes to create bread, wine and cheese. Now synthetic biology goes one step further, engineering ways to convert biomass from agriculture or waste streams to biofuels, bio plastics and other high-value chemicals.
Our centre brings together 9 Australian universities and a range of partners, such as biotech start-ups, government departments, international university and research facilities, medium to large business and industry bodies. Together we aim to create an environmentally sustainable processing industry, leading to significant rural investment, jobs and new export opportunities.
“In my mind synthetic biology is one of the critical sciences of the 21st century. And if Australia doesn’t have a piece of synthetic biology we will be left behind in the technological dust.”
Centre Director - Macquarie University
Deputy Director - The University of Western Australia
The University of Newcastle
The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland
Macquarie University
The University of New South Wales
Curtin University
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
The University of Queensland
Queensland University of Technology
Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Western Sydney University
ANU
The University of Queensland
Chief Operating Officer
We are a world-leading research centre whose goal is to take us beyond what any single, existing microbe on earth can do.