Applications of synthetic biology in drug discovery

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

^* Corresponding author: 441953906@qq.com

Abstract

The applications of synthetic biology have expanded rapidly in the past decades, thanks to advances in DNA synthesis, gene sequencing and lower costs, as well as rapid advances in genomics and data science. Synthetic biology can be used to design new biological systems, or redesign existing systems to implement properties and new functions that humans need, for applications as diverse as disease diagnosis, manufacturing, agriculture and medicine. In the pharmaceutical sector, the process of traditional drug discovery is time-consuming, expensive and challenging, with a low success rate. High expectations have been placed on how to apply synthetic biology in drug development to improve the efficiency and success rate of drug development. In this review, the discovery of new natural products, verification of targets, large-scale drug production and the specific application of synthetic biology in the field of drug research and development are discussed, and the application prospects and existing problems of synthetic biology technology in drug research and opening are prospected.