The report produced with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) identifies priority areas for standards and metrics to support UK engineering biology.

The report, produced with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), identifies priority areas for standards and metrics to support UK engineering biology (EngBio) companies.

The need for standards and metrics in Engineering Biology

Engineering biology has the potential to disrupt multiple sectors and industries and provides opportunities to address major global challenges. Within the UK, EngBio has been recognised by the government as one of five critical technologies that will “deliver prosperity and security for the UK and deliver benefits to global society”, with £2bn investment over the next 10 years to support and grow EngBio in the UK.

However, both here in the UK and internationally, there is an awareness amongst industry experts that the sector is lacking in relevant metrics and technical standards. Without metrics and standards appropriate for EngBio applications, companies will struggle to scale-up their technologies and bring new products to market, and the true potential of the sector will be lost.

A recent international effort, led by Professor Paul Freemont, addressed this lack of standardisation and sought to prioritise the need for standards and metrics to accelerate the commercialisation of EngBio, and enable growth of the global bioeconomy. The resulting report highlights the need for relevant standards and metrics to alleviate major issues across the sector, including around data integration, interoperability, and product safety and quality.

Spotlight on UK priorities

"The right standards and metrics will make the process of establishing and growing a company easier – but there is a need for consensus and an open process to establish easily accessible knowledge bases." Professor Paul Freemont Department of Infectious Disease

With the aim of identifying priority areas for standards and metrics to support UK EngBio companies, a UK-focused workshop was convened by Imperial College London and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). UK EngBio stakeholders, including those from industry, standards experts, funding agencies, the UK measurement system and academia, came together to discuss key priorities and resourcing needed to support UK EngBio companies to successfully bring new products to market.

Professor Paul Freemont, Head of the Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, said: “The vision for this space is that a company with a great idea can come to market without technical and regulatory barriers. The right standards and metrics will make the process of establishing and growing a company easier – but there is a need for consensus and an open process to establish easily accessible knowledge bases that smooth the path for EngBio companies, innovators, entrepreneurs and investors."

Stakeholders identified the need for standards and metrics to enable earlier stage companies to scale their operations effectively, and to attract and secure the necessary investment to do so. The current regulatory frameworks were also highlighted, with a need to develop more specific regulation that supports EngBio companies in achieving regulatory approval.

Recommendations for standards and metrics to support UK EngBio companies

Nine recommendations were made and are detailed in the newly published report. These recommendations summarise current needs and opportunities for standards and metrics to address existing barriers to commercialisation for EngBio companies in the UK. They cover:

1. Good Practice Guide for Scale-up
2. Agreed Vocabulary
3. Development of tools for biosystem characterisation
4. Data standards and ontologies
5. Open repository / sharing platform
6. Life-Cycle Assessment case-studies
7. Map of UK biomass availability
8. Biomass specification sheet
9. Regulatory guidance materials

"These standards must be underpinned by agreed, widely validated measurements and analytical methods as the foundation of robust, efficient, quality assured supply chains." UK workshop participant

“Standards, supported by quantified measurement of biological systems and agreed data formats, will have a vital role to play if we are to fully utilise AI and digital system designs in manufacturing models that enable the realisation of EngBio driven processes at scale” said Professor Max Ryadnov, Head of Biometrology Research at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).

The report provides a platform from which the UK EngBio sector can begin addressing the key areas recognised by industry whereby relevant standards and metrics will help alleviate existing barriers to commercialisation and drive sector growth. Leading on the development and implementation of the right standards and metrics for EngBio will not only support wider economic growth but will also allow the UK to maintain its position as a global leader in EngBio and within international standards bodies.

The report, Standards and metrics for Engineering Biology in the UK, is available to download from here.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UK's National Metrology Institute (NMI), providing world-leading measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life.