Scientists launch world first project to create synthetic human genome with £10mn Wellcome funding
A pioneering five-year research programme to develop the foundational tools for synthesising human genomes has launched with £10mn funding from Wellcome. The ambitious Synthetic Human Genome project, led by Professor Jason Chin at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, aims to unlock transformative biotechnology applications and accelerate targeted cell-based therapies.
The ability to write human genetic code from scratch represents the next frontier in genomics research, moving beyond reading and editing to complete synthesis of chromosomal material. The multi-centre initiative brings together researchers from Cambridge, Kent, Manchester, Oxford, and Imperial College London in an unprecedented collaboration that could revolutionise our understanding of genome biology and open entirely new therapeutic possibilities.
Advancing beyond genome editing to complete synthesis
The Synthetic Human Genome (SynHG) project marks a transformative leap from current genome editing technologies, which can modify existing genetic sequences, to comprehensive genome synthesis that enables changes at unprecedented scale and density. Unlike CRISPR and other editing tools, synthetic genomics allows researchers to construct entirely new chromosomal segments with enhanced accuracy and efficiency.
“The ability to synthesize large genomes, including genomes for human cells, may transform our understanding of genome biology and profoundly alter the horizons of biotechnology and medicine,” said Professor Jason Chin, founding director of the Generative Biology Institute at the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford, who leads the consortium.
Professor Jason Chin, founding director of the Generative Biology Institute at the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford
The research team will focus on developing scalable tools and methodologies to synthesise complex mammalian genomes, using the human genome as their exemplar. This strategic choice, rather than working with simpler model organisms such as mice, should enable more rapid translation of discoveries into human health applications.
Technical challenges in large genome synthesis
Current synthetic genomics achievements have been limited to relatively simple organisms. Scientists have successfully created synthetic genomes for microbes including E. coli, and recent advances have produced synthetic yeast chromosomes. However, today’s technology cannot reliably produce the large, complex genetic sequences found in mammals, crops, and humans.
The SynHG team aims to provide proof of concept for large genome synthesis by creating a fully synthetic human chromosome, representing approximately 2% of total human DNA. Initial work will establish methods for making targeted sequence modifications with minimal downstream effects on protein production.
Dr Julian Sale, group leader in the Division of Protein & Nucleic Acid Chemistry at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, explained the scientific significance: “The ability to synthesise large segments of human chromosomes – or even entire genomes – will enable us to test current theories about how genes and other genetic elements interact to govern genome function with unprecedented precision and scale.”
Leveraging artificial intelligence and robotics
The project incorporates cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence and advanced robotic assembly technologies to revolutionise synthetic mammalian chromosome engineering. Professor Patrick Yizhi Cai, chair of Synthetic Genomics at the University of Manchester, emphasised the technological integration: “We are leveraging cutting-edge generative AI and advanced robotic assembly technologies to revolutionize synthetic mammalian chromosome engineering.”
Machine learning advances are making it increasingly feasible to predict gene function and design synthetic genomes, whilst falling costs in DNA sequencing, synthesis, and editing have opened the field of engineering biology. These technological convergences position the field for rapid acceleration beyond the large, well-funded projects that have historically dominated synthetic genomics.
Therapeutic applications and biotechnology potential
The successful development of synthetic human chromosomes could catalyse breakthrough applications in personalised medicine and regenerative therapies. Synthetic genomes with specific, programmed functions could enable the creation of disease-resistant cells for repopulating damaged organs, including liver, heart, and immune system tissues.
“We are looking at therapies that will improve people’s lives as they age, that will lead to healthier ageing with less disease as they get older,” Sale told BBC News. “We are looking to use this approach to generate disease-resistant cells we can use to repopulate damaged organs.”
The technology could also accelerate development of targeted cancer treatments, genetic therapies for inherited disorders, and more effective vaccines produced by engineered microorganisms. Professor Tom Ellis from the Centre for Engineering Biology Institute at Imperial College London noted that chromosome synthesis “will drive innovation” by taking established bacterial and yeast synthetic biology “to the next scale with the much larger chromosomes of mammalian cells.”
Embedding ethical considerations from project inception
Recognising the profound societal implications of human genome synthesis, the SynHG project incorporates a dedicated social science programme from the outset. Professor Joy Zhang from the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice at the University of Kent leads this parallel initiative, termed Care-full Synthesis.
The ethical programme will conduct empirical studies with diverse global communities across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas, promoting an approach that is “Open, Deliberative, Enabling, Sensible & Sensitive, and Innovative.” This transdisciplinary investigation will examine socio-ethical, economic, and policy implications whilst fostering inclusivity across nation-states and emerging public-private partnerships.
“With Care-full Synthesis, through empirical studies across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas, we aim to establish a new paradigm for accountable scientific and innovative practices in the global age,” Zhang explained.
Expert perspectives on risks and benefits
Leading genomics researchers have welcomed the project whilst emphasising the importance of rigorous safety considerations. Professor Robin Lovell-Badge from the Francis Crick Institute noted that synthetic chromosome development is essential for true understanding: “You can only truly understand something if you can build it from scratch.”
However, Lovell-Badge stressed the need for robust safety measures, particularly for any future therapeutic applications: “If these were to ever be used in humans, it would be important to design them carefully so that they can’t lead to tumours or produce novel infectious particles.”
Critics have raised concerns about potential misuse of the technology. Dr Pat Thomas, director of Beyond GM, warned: “We like to think that all scientists are there to do good, but the science can be repurposed to do harm and for warfare.”
Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust, emphasised the importance of public engagement: “The public must have a clear understanding of what this research entails, while researchers and funders must have a thoroughgoing understanding of where the public wants to go with this science.”
Timeline and future prospects
The five-year project timeline reflects the complexity of developing foundational tools and methods for large genome synthesis. Even with advancing engineering biology technologies, reliably constructing complete synthetic human genomes and applying them meaningfully to human health will likely require decades of additional development.
Michael Dunn, director of Discovery Research at Wellcome, highlighted the transformative potential: “Through creating the necessary tools and methods to synthesise a human genome we will answer questions about our health and disease that we cannot even anticipate yet, in turn transforming our understanding of life and wellbeing.”
The SynHG project represents a calculated investment in foundational research that could reshape biotechnology and medicine, whilst establishing new paradigms for responsible scientific innovation in an interconnected global context.
