Principal Investigator Christopher Voigt
Project Website http://web.mit.edu/foundry/
Biology has the capacity to build intricate material and chemical structures with atomic precision. Living cells and communities can be reprogrammed for applications in sensing, therapeutics, and agriculture. Access to this potential requires many genes that have to be controlled in space and time. However, tools for genetic design, DNA/organism construction, and the ability to “see” the impact of an introduced genetic system on a cell are all at a nascent stage. The vision of the Foundry is to function as a genetic design institute that enables the forward engineering of sophisticated massively multi-part genetic systems.
The Foundry has established a consortium-based membership to allow for interaction and collaboration with industry.
Consortium membership provides opportunities to:(*) Participate in the Foundry User Meetings.(*) Guide the research priorities via an industrial advisory board.(*) Sponsor research of commercial relevance to the company, e.g., specific pathways and organisms.(*) Send visiting scientist to work in the Foundry to work side-by-side with Foundry scientists.(*) Learn about Foundry achievements and new IP available to license.(*) Access to software and code.(*) Transfer the design and build pipeline to the company.
Foundry membership is fee-based and contingent on approval by the Foundry’s governance structures.