ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology

News

Engineering ancient silk from evolution to living materials
12, Feb 2026

Engineering ancient silk from evolution to living materials

Two researchers, two different approaches, one revolutionary material Spider silk has long captured the imagination of scientists and engineers. Weight for weight, it’s stronger than steel and tougher than Kevlar....

Unlocking bacterial secrets to boost biotech and fight superbugs
26, Nov 2025

Unlocking bacterial secrets to boost biotech and fight superbugs

Macquarie University researcher Dr Liping Li has secured a prestigious DECRA grant to investigate how bacteria wake up from dormancy, a discovery that could revolutionise biotechnology and help tackle antimicrobial...

Evolutionary breakthrough fuses the branches of life
22, Nov 2022

Evolutionary breakthrough fuses the branches of life

The discovery of a new superhighway for gene transfer between microorganisms could have profound implications for human and environmental health.  A new discovery involving gene transfer between two ancient groups...