New research institute uses groundbreaking cell-free manufacturing to aid scientists

Northwestern has founded a research institute, called the Cell-Free Bio-manufacturing Institute, in partnership with the U.S. Army that will advance development in synthetic biology technologies. The facility will focus on designing products for public use and help new engineers develop their skills as entrepreneurs in the field of synthetic biology. The director of the new institute, Michael Jewett, is the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at McCormick. 

In addition to Jewett, Northwestern chemist Omar Farha and materials chemist Nathan Gianneschi are part of the 12-person team that also includes chemical engineer Linda Broadbelt, biological engineers Neha Kamat and Ashty Karim, synthetic biologist Julius Lucks, applied mathematician Niall Mangan, biochemist Milan Mrksich, computational scientist Monica Olvera de la Cruz, protein engineer Danielle Tullman-Ercek, and metabolic engineer Keith Tyo.

“There is an emerging and growing interest in being able to partner with biology to make what is needed, where and when it is needed, on a sustainable and renewable basis,” said Jewett. “This includes everything from medicines to sustainable products to materials we might use every day. This opportunity, enabled by synthetic biology and the ability to program the living world, is really what this new partnership with the Army’s Chemical Biological Center is about.”

The new institute will primarily develop products using cell-free bio-manufacturing, which frees scientists from needing to work with living organisms. This is the same process that was used to develop the popular mRNA vaccines that were used to treat COVID-19. However, the US Army is interested in other applications of the process and is looking to develop diagnostics, optical materials and cell-free sensors. 

Learn more in Northwestern Now’s article, “New research institute will utilize cell-free systems for global needs.”