Advancing reproducibility can ease the 'hard truths' of synthetic biology

Abstract

Reproducibility has been identified as an outstanding challenge in science, and the field of synthetic biology is no excep-tion. Meeting this challenge is critical to allow the transformative technological capabilities emerging from this field to reach their full potential to benefit the society. We discuss the current state of reproducibility in synthetic biology and how improve-ments can address some of the central shortcomings in the field. We argue that the successful adoption of reproducibil-ity as a routine aspect of research and development requires commitment spanning researchers and relevant institutions via education, incentivization and investment in related infrastructure. The urgency of this topic pervades synthetic biol-ogy as it strives to advance fundamental insights and unlock new capabilities for safe, secure and scalable applications of biotechnology.