‘Don’t squander the scientific opportunity of a lifetime’, Lords warns UK
The UK must take urgent action to reverse its declining leadership in engineering biology to avoid ‘squandering the scientific opportunity of a lifetime’.
The House of Lords released a report today cautioning that without bold government intervention and increased private sector investment, Britain risks losing out on vast economic potential.
Engineering biology, an evolving field that re-engineers natural systems, could transform industries from healthcare to energy, while creating thousands of skilled jobs.
Yet, the report states that under-investment, inconsistent policy and a fragmented approach have allowed global competitors to overtake the UK in this sector.
Baroness Brown of Cambridge, chair of the committee, said “Britain is a world leader in scientific innovation, but we keep crashing into walls rather than smashing through ceilings.”
“Pioneering companies need to scale up to compete globally—not get stuck in the investment ‘valley of death'”, she continued.
Action required
The report describes a ‘small and closing window’ for the UK to leverage its scientific strengths and ensure that its engineering biology breakthroughs are commercialised in the UK, rather than overseas.
The committee identified seven key areas where action is urgently required, from strategy and investment, to skills, adoption and regulation.
Notably, public and private funding must increase to ensure startups can scale.
While the government has pledged £2bn for the sector over ten years, concerns remain about the consistency and distribution of funding.
The study also encouraged investment in labs, equipment and facilities, as well as for industries to integrate engineering biology solutions to drive growth.
Current UK advancements in the sector include using bio-engineered bacteria to convert waste into fuel, lab-grown meat production, and creating biodegradable alternatives to single use materials.
These innovations have the potential to drive sustainability across sectors, while contributing to the nation’s net zero goals.
Challenges and barriers to growth
The report pointed out that the UK’s position in this field has eroded.
While a decade ago, Britain was a leader in synthetic biology, other nations have since outpace it with larger financial commitments, as well as more cohesive strategies.
For example, the US has announced a $2bn (£1.6bn) investment in engineering biology, while countries like China, Germany and Japan have integrated the field into national priorities.
The committee also highlighted the UK’s ‘valley of death’, the stage where startups fail to secure the funding and support needed to scale further.
This issue seems to be compounded by talent and capital moving outside of the UK, leaving British innovations to benefit foreign markets.
Baroness Brown said: “All too often we hear that when companies reach a certain size, they move abroad for better investment and development prospects, taking most of the economic benefit with them.”
“This failure to scale is a long-standing issue that requires an urgent, concerted, cross-government approach to fix.”
Lords also flagged concerns about bio-security risks and public scepticism, urging the government to prioritise transparent communication and informed regulation to address these challenges.
A Barclays report from 2024 highlighted that more than 200 high-growth engineering biology companies are active in the UK, with over 50 per cent headquartered in London, Oxford or Cambridge.
Despite that, inconsistent government support and high energy costs have hindered the sector’s growth.
The Lords report concludes: “Without urgent intervention, the UK risks being outpaced by nations that invest more and act strategically. The opportunities in engineering biology are immense, but the window to seize them is rapidly closing. The time to act is now.”
Responding to the report, a government spokesperson said “We welcome the committee’s report. Engineering biology is a technology with enormous potential, and we agree that it is critical to support home-grown engineering biology companies – which our bold national vision for engineering biology also makes the case for”.
“Our commitment to the UK’s burgeoning engineering biology sector is clear: from our £100 million investment in the Engineering Biology Mission Hubs and Awards, to efforts to improve the regulation of this critical technology, including through the new Regulatory Innovation Office.”