Our ability to write DNA has recently expanded to the genomic scale. The possibility of defining every single base in the genome of a cell enables manipulation of the most fundamental cellular properties, such as the genetic code.

However, current genome synthesis methods are slow, narrow in scope, and limited in scale. To date, the genomes of only two bacteria have been successfully synthesized. The largest genome ever synthesized (E. coli strain Syn61) stands at 4 million letters. The genomes of higher organisms, such as mammals and plants, however, are on the scale of up to billions of letters.

The lab is developing methodologies to i) make the synthesis of model organism genomes (i.e. E. coli) more rapid, ii) enable the synthesis of the genomes of non-model bacteria to broaden the scope of genome synthesis, and iii) work towards the synthesis of genomes of eukaryotic organisms.

The ability to routinely synthesize the genomes of a diverse set of organisms will not only allow reprogramming of the genetic code but also facilitate genome modularization and minimization. Ultimately, genome synthesis will enable biological design at the organism scale with implications in bioproduction, human health, agriculture, and beyond.