The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Sciencewise are spearheading a national conversation to shape the future of engineering biology.
Engineering biology is about designing, scaling and commercialising biology-derived products and services. Think greener manufacturing, smarter food production, and game-changing medical advances. Engineering biology innovation could transform entire industries and make everyday products more sustainable.
As more engineering biology derived products reach the market, DSIT wants to have a two-way conversation with people across the UK on innovation in engineering biology and gather views on its potential to address societal challenges.
DSIT sees particularly significant opportunities for both society and the economy from five key engineering biology application areas: health, chemicals and materials, low carbon fuels, agriculture and food, and waste and environment. Safely unlocking the benefits of these applications will bring benefits to the UK.
DSIT recognises that public acceptability of engineering biology processes and products is reliant on incorporating public aspirations and concerns into innovation. It is therefore vital that public voices are part of the conversation so that engineering biology policies reflect public values.
The June 2025 UK Modern Industrial Strategy named engineering biology as a leading frontier technology, with broad applications to boost productivity, support net zero and drive growth. DSIT has committed £644m to engineering biology.
Engagement with the public to date
In the National Vision for Engineering Biology, DSIT committed to developing robust insight into public attitudes.
In August 2024, DSIT surveyed 3,000 UK adults to understand public trust in EB. The survey results indicated that there was limited public awareness of EB, but that people were likely to be optimistic about using EB to solve societal challenges.
This dialogue builds on existing Sciencewise work on engineering biology. In 2023 Sciencewise published reports on public perceptions of engineering biology in health and food applications of engineering biology. And in 2025, a Sciencewise and British Science Association roundtable noted that public engagement on engineering biology should consider risks and benefits, use local voices, be ongoing and well-funded and show how public input guides research and innovation.
Importantly, this dialogue responds to the findings from UKRI’s recent Public Attitudes to Science Survey. The findings highlighted challenges in how informed the public are on science and research and the ongoing importance of public involvement and dialogue.
A look ahead
Engineering biology applications are diverse and have world-changing potential. For example, in healthcare, breakthroughs include gene therapies, advanced vaccines, and lab-grown organs, potentially eliminating the need for donors in the future.
DSIT is undertaking this public dialogue to understand public attitudes toward innovation in engineering biology. These conversations will help the government and its partners to understand public perspectives and generate actionable insights and principles that directly guide engineering biology policy, regulation and funding.
Delivered by Hopkins Van Mil, the dialogue will include in-depth stakeholder engagement and UK-wide workshops that will capture views and insights from people broadly reflective of the UK population. DSIT and its partners will disseminate the findings of the dialogue to ensure insights generated inform the wider engineering biology ecosystem.
Henrietta Hopkins, Director at Hopkins Van Mil, said:
‘Public dialogue is essential to ensuring engineering biology development, policies and governance reflect the values and priorities of people across the UK. Hopkins Van Mil is pleased to play a role in ensuring diverse voices are heard in the development of ethical and responsible engineering biology innovation. We look forward to working with DSIT and Sciencewise in the design and facilitation of these vital conversations.’
Read more on the Engineering Biology project page here.
