Improving DNA Manufacturing Through Standardization

By framing gene synthesis as a manufacturing problem, it is possible to utilize common Industrial Engineering (IE) principles that have been applied to numerous macroscale systems in the burgeoning realm of DNA fabrication. These techniques have been successfully employed in an academic research laboratory and include: the implementation of the 5S methodology to reduce wasted resources; the introduction of process standardization and awareness, both at the system and discrete process level; and the use of process mapping tools to encourage best practices. The direct results of this collaboration between IE and gene synthesis are the continual improvement of processes in the academic research labs. The long-term impact is a scalable approach, both in design and organization, of gene synthesis enterprises for academic and large-scale industrial biotechnology laboratories.

This work is supported by NSF Award 1241328