About us
The UK’s national centre for the commercialisation of synthetic biology.
Based at Imperial College London, SynbiCITE is the Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) for Synthetic Biology. Our prime objective is to accelerate and promote the commercial exploitation of synthetic biology research and engineering biology applications. Our role as nucleating point for this rapidly emerging industry is designed to deliver sustained and substantial benefits to the UK economy.
SynbiCITE is a unique collaboration of the UK’s leading academic institutions and industrial partners, ranging from start-ups to large multinational companies, and supporting organizations including the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh Regional Governments and the Greater London Authority.
We are one of seven IKCs set up to nucleate new industries, by closing the gap between scientific research and its commercial exploitation. IKCs are a key component of the UK's approach to the commercialisation of emerging technologies through creating early-stage critical mass in an area of disruptive technology.
SynbiCITE was established as a synthetic biology accelerator in 2013 with a £28 million commitment from Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Innovate UK and its industrial and academic partners.
Together with our partners across the UK and globally, we are committed to developing this technology through responsible innovation, which encompasses ethical, societal and environmental considerations.
Our goals
Our vision is to create a globally renowned national resource of interacting partners from academia, industry and business, which accelerates the commercialisation of world-class science and the emerging technologies encompassed by engineering biology into new products, tools, processes and services.
Our partners
Our partners include academic institutions, companies and supporting organizations from across the UK.
Our success is highly dependent on our wide range of academic and industrial partners – including our large corporate partners and our network of innovative small to medium sized companies – which are collaborating with us to develop and commercialize synthetic biology research, identify routes to market and develop core skills. These relationships are strong and mutually beneficial – some are built on close connections nurtured over many years while others are just beginning. If you would like to know more about opportunities to partner with SynbiCITE, please contact us.
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Our team
Our team works in close collaboration with our partners to accelerate the translation of their research into the market place.
We have brought people together from different backgrounds, skills, experience, sectors and organisations into a creative environment to drive the adoption of engineering biology and business models. Our partners benefit from our expertise in market and business analysis, marketing and PR, and IP management.