The onset of the covid-19 global health pandemic has thrust the need and importance of automated bio-production into the fore, something that lacked before. It has become crucial to bio-produce vaccines in their millions to cater to the ever-growing global demand.
Plenty of dying due to infections daily globally, and plenty more get infected by this virus.
Bio-production of things like vaccines often sees an intersection between biology and technological aspects. Cheap computing becomes crucial in meeting the mass0reproducibility of synthetic biological products such as vaccines, testing reagents, etc.
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It has resulted in the tremendous growth of a sector that proved small-scale and a bit under the radar before. Currently, the opportunities and prospects in this field prove mouthwatering.
It involves people engaged in large-scale biology that involves modularity, abstraction, composition, and standards. Further, it also entails making this discipline computational.
Densmore further elucidates that huge dividends stand to get reaped by anyone willing to embrace the prospect of this field- CSB. The idea entails a bid of making a biological core engine by building a foundation of mutual software. Such an approach establishes standards and creates compatibility, which kick-starts how everything links up.
For instance, the cost of DNA synthesis and sequencing continues to decline while automation platforms for the processes increasingly proliferate and improve regarding their reproducibility, affordability, and efficiency rapidly.
Consequently, it all provides the perfect background for responsible tinkering, which represents a tremendous opportunity.
Real-World Examples
Due to the pandemic situation across the globe, it becomes crucial to look at some examples of the successful intersection between computers and biology.
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- Benchling, biotech research, and development startup by MIT graduates have a valuation of about $850 million during this global health pandemic.
- One of the companies produced the crucial initial component for the PCR test kit for covid-19 and produced 52 million kits.
- BioBits has come up with a cell-free tech that has changed how biology gets taught. For instance, you hear plenty of simulations of systems and less of synthetic biology. But how can you forward-engineer the concept? While it might not prove figured out yet, it can become a powerful tool.
Covid-19 as Biology Industry Building Catalyst
Most companies have ventured into the automation of biological processes to make the discipline automated—for instance, Ginkgo Bioworks and that of Twist Biosciences as examples.
The companies mentioned have used their scalable and malleable platforms to position and alleviate the covid-19 pandemic strain. In so doing, such companies have demonstrated the power and versatility that synthetic biology holds to respond to the crisis in time. By the way, it is an interesting topic in biology homework help centres. Well, almost no one comprehended the need for urgency before the onset of covid-19, something that has drastically changed since then.
Additionally, while these technical advancements prove crucial, it also becomes essential to escalating diversity in the industry.
Conclusion
The future of computational synthetic biology proves bright, and everyone passionate in this field should seize the moment and make the desired impact. If anything, covid-19 has demonstrated the importance of this field to the general sustainability and existence of the human population.