STTR Phase I: Commercializing Architect-directed DNA Synthesis

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to expand innovation in the biotechnology sector through the development of a new DNA synthesis technology. DNA synthesis is a key enabling technology for synthetic biology and biotechnology. Traditional DNA synthesis methods build DNA one nucleotide at a time and can only synthesize short strands of DNA due to fidelity limitations. These short strands of DNA can be assembled into larger DNA fragments but this process is sequence dependent and often fails. This results in high costs, delayed timelines, and even an inability to complete certain research goals. This project seeks to overcome these challenges by developing an entirely novel DNA synthesis technology that will significantly reduce costs and lead times, while also enabling the synthesis of long and complex DNA. These advances will significantly accelerate and enable innovation and development of new therapeutics, biomanufacturing, agriculture, and more. The proposed project is focused on the commercial development of novel DNA synthesis technology. This technology is a hierarchical approach to DNA synthesis that relies on small 2-5 bp DNA precursors that can be enzymatically assembled into larger DNA sequences in an exponential fashion (eg, 2 bp to 4 bp to 8 bp to 16 bp, etc). Funding in this program will be used to i) develop new methods for ensuring higher fidelity DNA precursors, ii) reduce synthesis costs by streamlining synthesis reactions, as well as iii) characterize quality control approaches. If successful, this project will pave the way for high fidelity DNA synthesis at low costs and rapid turnaround times. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.