GAO Science & Tech Spotlight: Synthetic Biology

On April 17, 2023, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a “Science & Tech Spotlight” on synthetic biology. 

The GAO defines synthetic biology as “a multidisciplinary field of biotechnology that involves engineering the genetic material of organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, yeast, plants, or animals, to have new characteristics.” According to the GAO, scientists are currently exploring the use of synthetic biology to address environmental challenges by engineering organisms to use carbon dioxide, produce biofuels for vehicles, and transform methane into biodegradable plastics. GAO notes that the synthetic biology market could grow from about $10 billion in 2021 to between $37 billion and $100 billion dollars by 2030. 

More information, including highlights and the full report can be found here