Most in-demand Synthetic Biology skills today

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, engineering, chemistry, and computer science to design and construct new biological parts, devices, and systems or to redesign existing natural biological systems for useful purposes.

Key application areas:

1. Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals – gene therapies, biologics, and synthetic vaccines.
2. Agriculture & Food – lab-grown meat, bioengineered crops, precision fermentation.
3. Industrial Biotech – biomanufacturing of chemicals, materials, and fuels.
4. Environmental Applications – carbon capture, bioremediation, and sustainable plastics.

What is synthetic biology used for?

Synthetic biology has applications across several sectors:

• Healthcare & pharma – gene therapies, biologics, synthetic vaccines
• Agriculture & food – lab-grown meat, engineered crops, precision fermentation
• Industrial biotech – biomanufacturing of chemicals, fuels, and materials
• Environmental solutions – carbon capture, bioremediation, sustainable plastics

What skills are in demand in molecular biology and genetic engineering?

This is the foundation of synthetic biology, editing DNA and building new biological systems.

Roles: Research Scientist, Gene Editing Specialist, CRISPR Engineer

Skills:

• CRISPR/Cas9 and base editing
• DNA synthesis and assembly (Gibson, Golden Gate)
• Cell line development (mammalian, bacterial, yeast)
• Omics data interpretation (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics)

What’s needed in bioinformatics and computational biology?

This is where coding meets biology—analysing data and modelling systems.

Roles: Bioinformatician, Systems Biologist, Computational Biologist
Skills:

• Coding in Python, R, or MATLAB
• Tools like BLAST, Bioconductor, Galaxy
• Genome annotation and sequence analysis
• Network modelling and systems simulations

What skills are in demand in bioprocess engineering and biomanufacturing?

This is about scaling up—from lab bench to production.

Roles: Bioprocess Engineer, Fermentation Scientist, Biotech Process Developer
Skills:

• Scaling microbial and cell culture processes
• Bioreactor design and optimisation
• Downstream processing and purification
• GMP compliance and quality control

What’s involved in synthetic genomics and DNA design?

This is the design side—building genetic circuits and controlling gene expression.

Roles: Genetic Circuit Designer, DNA Engineer
Skills:

• Designing synthetic gene circuits (Benchling, SnapGene)
• Logic gates in cells, biosensors
• Promoter/RBS tuning and gene expression control

What skills are needed in lab automation and robotics?

Automation is key to scaling and speeding up synthetic biology workflows.

Roles: Lab Automation Engineer, High-throughput Screening Specialist
Skills:

• Programming robotic liquid handlers (Opentrons, Tecan)
• Integrating lab equipment with software
• Designing automated workflows for DNA assembly, screening

How is AI used in synthetic biology?

AI is being used to predict, optimise, and design biological systems.

Roles: Data Scientist (Biotech), AI Biologist
Skills:

• ML for protein folding, gene prediction, pathway optimisation
• Tools like TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn
• AI for metabolic pathway design and genetic edit prediction

What regulatory and ethical knowledge is important?

As the field grows, so does the need for people who understand the rules and risks.

Roles: Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Bioethics Advisor
Skills:

• UK/EU regulations (MHRA, EMA, GMO, biosafety)
• IP management and tech transfer
• Biosecurity and dual-use research awareness