An Assessment of Biomanufacturing in Forward Deployed Locations

Biomanufacturing uses microorganisms to produce chemicals or materials of interest, much like a brewery uses fermentation by yeast to produce the alcohol in beer. Biomanufacturing relies upon synthetic biology to reprogram yeast or other microorganisms to produce something of greater value, such as fuel, food, or pharmaceuticals. Industrial biomanufacturing has made significant advances and the products it can deliver include reactive coatings and textiles, sensors, optical materials that can bend light, and new therapeutics such as antimicrobials and vaccines. The convergence of synthetic biology, robotics, and artificial intelligence is opening the way to produce materials never before possible in the commercial market. These same technologies create the opportunity for the miniaturization of this technology to fit into ever more compact spaces, bringing forward deployment of these mini-factories closer and closer to the point of need.