Turning synthetic biology ideas into reality – faster
We accelerate research by rapidly designing, building and testing microbial strains. We work with researchers to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges using synthetic biology and advanced automation.
About us
The Australian Genome Foundry is a new synthetic biology laboratory offering end-to-end services across the design-build-test-learn cycle. We help:
- academic scientists and research students
- startups
- government agencies
- industry clients.
Our mission
We strive to accelerate synthetic biology research and drive the emergence of a bioeconomy by providing high-throughput solutions for researchers in academia, government and industry.
Our vision is for automation and robotics to unlock the full potential of microbial engineering, enabling the seamless, parallel creation and testing of hundreds to thousands of strains, and accelerating transformative breakthroughs at a scale never before possible.
Our capabilities
The Australian Genome Foundry provides end-to-end support for both academic and industry projects, from fundamental synthetic biology research to the engineering of industrial microorganisms.
Our facility features a broad suite of automated molecular biology workflows, high-throughput fermentation systems, advanced analytical chemistry platforms, and flow cytometry and cell sorting instruments, all housed within a PC2-certified laboratory.
Test the compounds produced by your microbes using our GC-MS, HPLC and LC-MS capacity. Access to the only Australian LDTD equipment (Laser Diode Thermal Desorption) enables ultra high-speed analysis in less than four seconds per sample.
Fermentation equipment with multiple parallel lab-scale bioreactors mimics the conditions in industrial sized fermenters so you are well positioned for scale-up.
Our suite of flow cytometers enables the measurement of relative size, internal complexity and fluorescence of thousands of single cells per second. Rare phenotypes and single cells can be physically separated using cell sorting with full spectral coverage.
Phenotype MicroArrayTM plates allow for evaluation of up to 2000x phenotypes related to:
- metabolism
- auxotrophy
- chemical sensitivity
- drug sensitivity.
We design and engineer your microbes using synthetic biology integrated with robotic platforms that enable construction of hundreds of strains in parallel.
Ways to engage
Partner with us on co-designed research projects or contract our team for specialised work aligned to your objectives. We offer deep technical expertise and a collaborative approach to solving complex synthetic biology challenges.
Services provided using our high-throughput facilities, expert staff and advanced automation through a flexible fee-for-service model. Ideal for industry and academic partners needing targeted support without long-term commitments.
Early-stage biotech and synthetic biology ventures can scale faster by leveraging our incubation space, designed to minimise distractions from your R&D work and support you in reaching lab-scale proof of principle.
Access our:
- PC2 certified lab
- highly specialised equipment
- full-service lab management
We offer PhD scholarships in partnership with Macquarie University and affiliated research groups. Projects can be tailored to suit your organisation’s needs and you can be involved in student supervision and mentoring.
Students benefit from hands-on training in:
- synthetic biology
- cutting-edge methodologies and instruments
- industry-relevant experience.
- Belinda Fabian, Business Manager
E: belinda.fabian@mq.edu.au - Professor Ian Paulsen, Director
E: ian.paulsen@mq.edu.au - Briardo Llorente, Chief Scientist
E: briardo.llorente@mq.edu.au