SynbiCITE
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{{Infobox organization
| name = SynbiCITE
| logo =
| formation = {{start date|2013}}
| type = Business Incubator
| purpose = Supporting synthetic biology in industry
| headquarters = Imperial College London
| affiliations = Innovate UK, EPSRC, BBSRC
| website = [http://www.synbicite.com/ SynbiCITE.com]
}}
SynbiCITE is the UK's national Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) for the adoption and use of synthetic biology by industry.{{Cite web|url=https://epsrc.ukri.org/innovation/business/opportunities/impactschemes/ikcs/|title=Innovation and knowledge centres – EPSRC website|website=epsrc.ukri.org}} It also helps to incubate new businesses by providing them with space and accelerator programs, including funding, training and mentoring.
History
SynbiCITE was created in 2013 after a UK-wide competition to find the most suitable host university with the best strategic plan.{{Cite web |title=National hub to support synthetic biology extended with £5.5m funding commitment {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/238412/national-support-synthetic-biology-extended-with/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Imperial News |language=en}} Initially funded by the government and other partners for five years, the organization was intended to become self-sustaining by 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/news-events/news/syntheticbiologyprogress/|title=New Innovation and Knowledge Centre to drive UK's Synthetic Biology progress – EPSRC website|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/news-in-brief-18-july-2013/2005752.article|title=News in brief – 18 July 2013|date=17 July 2013|publisher=}} In April 2016, SynbiCITE opened the Synthetic Biology Foundry, a Research Councils UK-funded facility providing remote gene design, construction, and validation services using laboratory robotics. Based on a similar facility at MIT, it is the first commercial facility in the United Kingdom using laboratory automation to provide on-demand services specifically for synthetic biology.{{cite web|url=http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2016/04/the-uks-first-robotic-dna-factory-has-opened-in-london/|title=The UK's First Robotic DNA Factory Has Opened in London|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/britains-first-dna-factory-opens-at-imperial-college-london-a6971451.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/britains-first-dna-factory-opens-at-imperial-college-london-a6971451.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title='DNA factory' opens at Imperial College London|website=Independent.co.uk |date=6 April 2016|publisher=}}
In 2019, the DNA Foundry opened at Imperial College London's White City Campus.{{cite web|url=https://www.friendsofimperial.org.uk/Event/2018-19-events-behind-the-scenes-london-dna-foundry-imperial-west-white-city|title=Behind-the-scenes @ London DNA Foundry, Imperial West White City|publisher=Friends of Imperial}} Its goal is to enable businesses to outsource DNA manufacture, design, and testing and accelerate the development of DNA-based technologies in the UK. SynbiCITE also supported the development of OpenCell, which provides affordable biotechnology labs using shipping containers in White City.{{cite news |last= Ireland |first= Tom |date= 25 Aug 2018 |title= Buildings made from fungi? Meet London's pop-up bio-lab innovators|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/aug/25/buildings-made-from-fungi-open-cell-pop-up-bio-lab-innovators-london }}
Organisation
SynbiCITE is headquartered at Imperial College London. It is funded by a public-private partnership between the EPSRC, BBSRC, and Innovate UK, as well as several industrial and private investors.{{cite web|url=http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2013/jul/synthetic-centre.cfm|title=UK's synthetic biology industry gets £10m boost – E & T Magazine|publisher=}} It is run and managed by a board consisting of two co-directors (Professor Richard Kitney and Professor Paul Freemont).
References
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Category:Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Category:Genetic engineering in the United Kingdom
Category:Organisations associated with Imperial College London