Synthetic Biology is one of those ‘whoah!’ fields, where the possibilities start reading like a sci-fi novel: plants that can tell you when they need watering or a mask that can sense when there are traces of COVID-19 in the air around you.

Macquarie is at the very forefront of this innovation as the host of the $70m ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (COESB). But the COESB isn’t just focused on the science of synthetic biology. It’s also progressing knowledge around its industrial translation and the ethical, legal and governance aspects surrounding the introduction of a major new technology.

In an impressive example of Macquarie’s multidisciplinary approach, Thom Dixon, Dr Tom Williams and Professor Sakkie Pretorius recently had a paper published in prestigious journal Nature Communications, examining the incredible potential of the integration of biological, digital and cyber-physical systems, alongside the broader implications, benefits and risks of this integration.

Collaborating as a multidisciplinary group for the first time, the three relished in the different assumptions and viewpoints they each bought to the table, with consilience strongly at the heart of the project.

“A large part of the engineering biology story has been about getting people from every academic discipline to re-imagine the capabilities of biology and think about the current and future impacts of new technologies with their own disciplinary lens,” say the team. “So instead of the ethical, legal and governance aspects having to ‘keep up’ with the science, collaborations like these – that are based on consilience – enable research into science and its social dimensions to progress at the same pace.”

This space where science, technology and power meet is one that Thom is particularly interested in. Having already amassed a Macquarie bachelor degree in International Communication, as well as a Masters in International Business and International Relations, Thom is now undertaking a PhD at Macquarie which focuses on power and the convergence of the life sciences with the information and computing sciences.

Oh, and there’s also his role in Research Services leading the University’s national research assessments, including the complex work of preparing Macquarie’s submissions for the next rounds of ERA and EI.

“There’s certainly enough to keep me busy for the next few years,” Thom laughs.

Busy would also describe Sakkie’s working life as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and member of the Executive Group. But despite his jam-packed schedule, the acclaimed molecular microbiologist wouldn’t dream of stepping away from the ‘coalface’ of research.

“Ever since I peeked through a microscope and observed budding yeast cells multiplying for the first time, I have been hooked on the wonderment of life’s genetic code,” Sakkie says. “The researcher in me will never stop seeking new discoveries or learning from the ever-expanding scholarly knowledge across the breadth of Macquarie’s research spectrum.”

He says remaining an active member of the University’s research community is important to his role as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).

“It means I can genuinely celebrate every research breakthrough and empathise with every knockback, which keeps me realistic in my expectations,” Sakkie says. “Working with colleagues across disciplinary boundaries expands my vision for research at Macquarie and hones my strategic thinking and decision making as DVCR.”

As to future collaborations for the three, the possibilities are as plentiful as the applications of synthetic biology are broad. But with COVID-19 putting a global focus on pandemics, it’s one area that the team are particularly interested in exploring.

“Synthetic biology – and in particular biofoundries like Macquarie’s – can make a substantial contribution to pandemic preparedness,” notes Tom. “This ability to improve the world through the application of synthetic biology is what originally attracted me to the field and what keeps me excited.”

Learn more about the incredible possibilities of synthetic biology in the team’s recent interview with The Lighthouse.

You will no doubt have seen the good news last week that an ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB) will be hosted at Macquarie University from 2020, with $35 million in funding from the Federal Government. 

The Centre will be one of the largest combined efforts in synthetic biology in the world – a collaboration between seven Australian universities and 25 partners worldwide. So, how do you even begin to grapple the collaboration management of so many contributors – let alone do it successfully enough that the government gives you $35 million?

According to the Centre’s Director, Macquarie University’s ARC Laureate Fellow Distinguished Professor Ian Paulsen, and Deputy Director, University of Western Australia’s Professor Aleksandra Filipovska, the key to success is bringing together groups or researchers with different capabilities and approaches to do something that they couldn’t possibly achieve separately.

“That kind of collaboration is central to the very idea of Centres of Excellence,” Ian says. “All these researchers could be funded separately, but it’s the scientific and creative mix that allows them to jointly do something greater than the sum of its parts.”

Within the Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB) itself, there are not only leading synthetic biologists, but also industrial translators such as chemical engineers for example, and it is this combination that will allow the work to have real world impacts.

Aleksandra says clear communication between these groups is particularly important.

“A successful collaboration is a product of synergistic expertise working as a cohesive unit with clear communication.”

So, where do you start?

The beginning, it turns out – is a very good place to begin.

Both Ian and Aleksandra highlight the need to understand what the end goals are, or at the very least what they could be, and then seek prospective collaborators who have the skills, expertise and equipment that you think you might need access to.

“In some cases, they’re people you immediately think of because you know their work, and can see they’d be a natural fit,” says Ian. “But sometimes you don’t even realise you need someone until you meet them or hear of them. And then you realise they’ve got a skill or an approach that you hadn’t thought of that could be of benefit to the project.

“Chance plays a part. So does advice from peers, seminars, conferences and visits from colleagues outside the University and outside your own area.” 

Fostering the right environment

On a project as large as this one, it is imperative and critical for success to create an atmosphere of collaboration and transparency.

Ian explains that for this Centre the team has set up a number of ‘carrots’ to encourage interaction.

“There will be staff and student exchanges and specific activities for fostering collaboration.”

As well as this, cross-disciplinary staff will be embedded within the Centre, to increase everyone’s exposure to the different areas.

“So, there will be social scientists in the same place as wet lab scientists, all talking to each other.”

The nitty gritty

Ian explains that the very nature of these types of projects lend themselves to differing opinions.

“There’s always going to be differing opinions – we’re all human,” he says. “But it’s important that we establish open dialogue from the very beginning. If there are clear communication lines and transparency, most disputes can be settled painlessly and I don’t expect that it’s something that we’re going to encounter very often.”

Leaving their mark

Aleksandra explains that what makes this project so special is the potential to leave a long-term legacy that will make the Australian economy stronger, provide new tolls for industry, agriculture and medicine, and produce the next generation of scientists and social scientists.

Ian adds that the sheer scale and time of the Centre’s funding allows the team to take risks.

“Because it’s a seven-year arrangement, it gives us the freedom to work on really exciting high-risk, high-reward work that we would never have the security to do with three-year funding.

“It also brings together such an array of skills and interests and allows us to collaborate with people that we’d never encounter otherwise.”

Learn more about Synthetic Biology and the new Centre of Excellence in the Macquarie University Newsroom.