Platforms for Biological Control

Abstract

Innovation at the level of platforms provides the greatest leverage for shaping science and technology. Here, two key weaknesses in platforms for biology are addressed: the lack of accessible, extensible open-source software for the exploding field of robotic bioautomation, and the lack of a standardized, consistent screening platform for the manufacture of dangerous DNA. Pyhamilton and SecureDNA are introduced. Pyhamilton is the first open-source Python package for controlling Hamilton liquid-handling robots for biology. SecureDNA is the only DNA screening concept to prioritize anti-proliferation of pathogen genomes, and the first to employ modern cryptography to secure a global screening system that can keep up with anticipated exponential growth of the DNA synthesis market. For each platform developed, a software implementation is provided and exercised in a range of applications, and hardware demonstrators have been produced.