Blog 11: Biomanufacturing

Hello again! Over the last few weeks, we’ve talked about how synthetic biology lets us edit genes, program cells, and even build life from scratch. But now it's time to see what happens when we apply all of that in the real world at very large scales. Today’s blog will be about biomanufacturing, where cells are being modified to produce anything from medicines to perfume. 

In this blog, I will explore how biomanufacturing works, what it’s already doing for the world, and why this area of SynBio might shape the future of everything we use and consume.

What Is Biomanufacturing?                                                                                   Biomanufacturing is when we use living organisms—like bacteria, yeast, or even mammalian cells—to produce useful products. These can include:

• Medicines (insulin and vaccines)
  
  

• Food ingredients (flavors or proteins)
  
  

• Materials (biodegradable plastics or synthetic silk)

Thanks to synthetic biology, we are now able to engineer these cells to produce things faster, cheaper, and often in more sustainable ways than traditional manufacturing.

How It Works                                                                                                                             First, scientists will start by designing a DNA blueprint, a genetic instruction manual that tells the cell exactly what to produce. This DNA is then inserted into a host cell(typically a fast-growing organism like E. coli or yeast). Once modified, the cells are placed into large bioreactors, which are essentially giant tanks that provide ideal conditions for the cells to grow and continuously churn out the desired product. After enough of the product has been made, the final step is to harvest the cells and purify the substance, making it ready for use in medicine, food, materials, or other applications.

If you’re thinking this sounds a little like brewing beer, you’re right! It’s basically fermentation, just with far more advanced goals.

Real Examples of Biomanufacturing in Action

Insulin Production Using E. coli (1978–Present)                                                                       Before synthetic biology, insulin came from pig and cow pancreases, which was costly and imprecise. That changed in 1978, when Genentech and Eli Lilly introduced Humulin, the first human insulin made using genetically engineered E. coli bacteria.

Engineered bacteria now produce almost 100% of the world’s insulin—saving millions of lives and proving that SynBio could revolutionize medicine.

Yeast That Make Fragrances and Flavors (Recent Years)                                              Companies like Evolva and Ginkgo Bioworks have engineered yeast to produce high-value compounds like Vanillin (vanilla flavoring), Nootkatone (grapefruit flavor), and Patchoulol (used in perfumes).

Instead of harvesting rare plants or using petrochemicals, we can now brew these compounds sustainably using fermentation. That means lower environmental impact and consistent supply chains.

mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing (2020–Present)                                                                              The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines rely heavily on biomanufacturing. Engineered cells are used to produce the raw materials needed for mRNA vaccines, a brand-new category of medicine.

SynBio helped speed up this process, proving that biomanufacturing is not just useful but critical for pandemic response and public health.

Spider Silk Made by Microbes (Ongoing)                                                                                  Natural spider silk is stronger than steel by weight, but you can’t exactly farm spiders (they're cannibalistic and don’t spin much silk).

That’s where companies like Bolt Threads come in, who have managed to engineer yeast to produce spider silk proteins. These proteins are spun into threads that could be used in clothing, surgery, or even space tech—bio manufactured without ever touching a spider.

Why Biomanufacturing Matters                                                                             Biomanufacturing could be one of the biggest shifts in how we make things. Here’s why it matters:

    1) Biomanufacturing offers a level of sustainability that we’ve never seen before. While traditional               manufacturing often depends on petroleum, animal farming, or deforestation. Biomanufacturing can         reduce waste and emissions.

    2) Biomanufacturing offers a greater level of scale than traditional methods. Once you engineer a cell,         it can divide and scale production exponentially.

    3) Biomanufacturing allows for some customization and creativity: you can design cells to make exactly         what you want even if it doesn’t exist in nature. 

Plus, it can help us decentralize manufacturing. One day, entire factories might just be small fermentation units located anywhere in the world.

So What’s Next?                                                                                                                       The crazy thing about Biomanufacturing is that it’s only going to get better. Scientists are now using AI and automation to design new pathways even faster, accelerating the future of biomanufacturing. This could bring all sorts of new, innovative discoveries out to the world.

Biomanufacturing is already taking big steps forwards, and we’re still just scratching the surface.

Final Words                                                                                                                                  From programming cells to building life to now producing the things we use every day, synthetic biology has evolved into a full-blown industry. Biomanufacturing proves that life itself can become a tool for innovation and a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable world.

Thanks for reading today’s post. I hope this gave you a glimpse into what the future of manufacturing might look like. I’ll see you next week for the next step in our SynBio journey!

— Aidan Kincaid