Singapore, June 18 -- As industries seek more sustainable ways to produce ingredients, chemicals and materials, synthetic biology is opening up new routes to make useful compounds by engineering biological systems such as microbes and enzymes. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have launched a joint laboratory to help turn these research advances into commercially viable products.

The launch comes as global demand for such bio-based alternatives accelerates. The bioeconomy is projected to contribute up to $4 trillion annually within the next decade, driven by a broad shift away from petrochemical-based production.

The new A*STAR SIFBI-NUS Synthetic Biology Joint Lab is...