What Is a Biofoundry? - Korea Biofoundry

A Biofoundry is

an integrated research infrastructure that supports bio R&D by standardizing, automating, and accelerating the entire process of designing, building, and testing biological systems, including cells, proteins, and DNA.

Based on the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle of synthetic biology, biofoundries serve as platform technologies that transform the speed and efficiency of biological research and development.

DBTL Infrastructure

By combining automated microscale liquid-handling technologies with massively parallel experimental systems, biofoundries automate the entire Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle and maximize research productivity.
AI-Powered Big Data Infrastructure

Experimental data are analyzed and learned from using AI to improve research accuracy and accelerate advances in the speed, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of synthetic biology technologies.

An illustration of the DBTL cycle. In the DESIGN stage, AI is used to design DNA, proteins, and metabolic pathways. In the BUILD stage, high-throughput DNA synthesis and automated DNA assembly are performed. In the TEST stage, artificial cells are constructed and tested, followed by high-throughput functional analysis and screening. In the LEARN stage, data analysis and machine learning are used to identify areas for improvement and optimization. The DESIGN, BUILD, TEST, and LEARN stages operate as a continuous cycle.

About Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is a field of science and technology that applies engineering principles to biology to design, build, and synthesize biological components and systems, including those inspired by existing organisms as well as those not found in nature.

Biology

Engineering

Information Technology

Synthetic Biology