Impact

Scientific excellence with commercial acumen

The global bioeconomy is growing rapidly, as businesses realise the potential of biodesign and biomanufacturing. From novel materials to new medicines, data storage and living sensors, synthetic biology offers exciting new opportunities to sense, organise and process matter efficiently and cleanly – if you have the capability to turn theory into practice.

Using state-of-the-art facilities and techniques, our synthetic biology team fuses expertise in biology, chemistry and engineering to convert research-driven discovery into breakthrough products and services.

Specialisms

Start-up support
We provide synthetic biology start-ups with the broader knowledge and capabilities they need to get exciting and innovative biodesigned products to market. We assist them in scaling-up novel processes, ensuring robust quality control, consistent product delivery and competitive cost.
Speed and predictability
Using our skills in biological manipulation, automation, measurement and process control, we help mature organisations already engaged in synthetic biology to build consistent and predictable processes for the rapid and cost-effective development of new products and services.
Bio strategy
Many organisations face the challenge of understanding the potential synthetic biology holds for their business and how to then integrate it. With deep industry knowledge and expertise in these specific technologies and trends, we identify business opportunities and develop robust strategies to realise this potential.
GMP manufacture
We understand GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) compliant processes and equipment. We are familiar with the intense quality focus GMP brings, from supply chain management to final product QC and release. Our ISO13485 compliant processes ensure seamless collaboration with clients in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic sectors.

Experience

Background in biodesign

Our synthetic biology capability has grown organically from our long history in healthcare and life-sciences.

Recognising a new era of rational biodesign for products and processes is emerging, we created our synthetic biology division in 2015.

Antha expertise

Antha is a programming language for biology that describes and executes complex protocols, driving massive productivity gains during biodesign.

Working in partnership with Synthace, we offer an end-to-end service to help clients launch Antha in their labs, delivering significant workflow efficiency benefits.

Accelerating development

Biodesign is not fully predictive today and still requires extensive phenotypic characterisation and testing.

We designed an ultra-high throughput agar array-based system to measure ratiometric fluorescent signals from a library of transformed organisms and automatically identify the best-performing individual strain.

Interested in joining us?

Tech, tools & facilities

Synthetic biology lab

Synthetic biology labs

Located in our Cambridge head office, our microbiology lab enables us to genetically modify micro-organisms and characterise them. Our facilities are containment level 2 rated for handling pathogenic strains and our in-house libraries allow rapid modular DNA construct design and assembly. We are particularly interested in building organisms that are biological sensors for healthcare and industrial biotech applications.

SGI-BioXP-3200

SGI BioXP 3200

This system is the world’s first benchtop automated genomic workstation that rapidly synthesizes high-quality, double-stranded DNA fragments and clones into any vector in an overnight run. Its numerous applications include protein production, antibody library generation and cell engineering.

News & insights

Press release

Cambridge Consultants’ world-class designers recognized with two iF DESIGN AWARDS

7th Feb 2020

Cambridge Consultants wins two prestigious iF DESIGN AWARDS for Aalto, an injection device for rheumatoid arthritis patients, and Alma a smart cooling case for injectable fertility drugs. 

Bioprocessing engineering - digital twins in cultured protein scale up
Opinion

How digital twins can help confront the challenges of scaling up cultured protein

9th Mar 2023

In the world of bioprocessing engineering, companies developing cultured meat and other cultured ingredients face both technical and financial challenges at each step up in scale. Here, Steve Thomas and James Westley explain how sophisticated predictive models – digital twins – that couple biology, heat transfer, mass transfer and fluid dynamics can help… 

  • AI & Data Analytics consultancy
  • Bioinnovation
  • Digital service innovation
  • Fluids & thermodynamics
  • Synthetic biology
Bioprocessing meets machine learning
Opinion

Bioprocessing meets machine learning: the conversation that is driving a cell therapy breakthrough

8th Mar 2023

A meeting of minds - AI meets biology. This is the conversation that is bridging the gap between bioprocessing and machine learning.

  • AI & Data Analytics consultancy
  • Bioinnovation
  • Cell and gene therapy
  • Synthetic biology
Quantum for pharma
Opinion

Quantum computing for pharma and life sciences – opportunities are on the horizon

21st Feb 2023

What can quantum computing and quantum technology do for the pharma and life sciences industry? After reviewing the latest signs of quantum innovation in practice across Europe, Elizabeth Thomas has conferred with Cambridge Consultants’ quantum experts and now shares her insights into how organisations can start implementing an action plan… 

  • AI & Data Analytics consultancy
  • Physical sciences
  • Strategic advice
  • Synthetic biology

Events

Future_Food_tech_Summary
ExhibitorSpeakerSponsor

Future food-tech 2024

21st Mar 2024 - 22nd Mar 2024
Marriot Marquis, San Francisco

Across the two-day programme, thought-leaders will delve into crucial topics ranging from tackling food and nutritional insecurity, to improving health through nutritional enhancement and leveraging food as medicine solutions. Expert speakers will explore the latest thinking on the role of AI in scaling alt-protein production, and the rapid growth of automation and robotics across the value chain.

Summary_Event_WAIS_2024
ExhibitorSpeakerSponsor

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit 2024

19th Mar 2024 - 20th Mar 2024
Marriot Marquis, San Francisco

Come and meet our team to understand more about how we work with agri-tech clients to embrace and scale regenerative agriculture practices, accurately measure soil carbon and nutrient levels, and unlock the environmental benefits of biologicals in a cost-effective manner.