DTN 138: Biopharma Embraces Synthetic Biology

Plus: Google eyes data centers in space, Jared tapped as NASA admin, solarpunk is happening in Africa, 1.7 tonnes of cocaine seized in narcosub, a new analog chip, and more.

November 07, 2025

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"While it's great to watch things dock with the ISS in that beautiful surgical dance, it's not scalable. We need something more like a shipping yard with cranes and forklifts rather than surgical precision."

“Synthetic biology—an emerging and often debated field—involves the application of engineering principles to biological systems. While its definition has evolved over time, the European Commission today defines synthetic biology as the use of science, technology, and engineering to facilitate “the design, manufacture, and/or modification of genetic materials in living organisms.”1 Over the past two decades, synthetic biology has fueled advancements across a broad range of disciplines, including agriculture, bioremediation, biofuel production, and chemical manufacturing. Today, it has begun to drive innovation in biopharmaceuticals.”

These series of images show how the robot moves through the stomach. In the rightmost column, the researchers also demonstrate targeted drug delivery. Ruomeng Xu, Xianli Wang, et al.

The best chance to beat deadly intestinal cancers is with early diagnosis. Current early detection methods rely on highly invasive endoscopes, which cause immense discomfort and often require patients to be sedated. A team of Chinese scientists at University of Macau unveiled a micro-robot prototype - the size of a large vitamin capsule - inspired by the movements of the golden wheel spider, an African spider that cartwheels across the desert dunes of Namibia instead of crawling. The “robotic mini spider” has successfully navigated the stomachs and colons of animals, which are full of obstacles including music and sharp turns. The prototype is designed to be swallowed by the patient and eventually pass through the body like processed food. Micro-robotics show a lot of promise, and scientists hope they can eventually be used for targeted drug delivery in the treatment of ulcers or tumors. (via IEEE Spectrum)

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