Biological therapies are revolutionizing cancer treatment. These therapies are based on genetically engineered cells, such as those from the human immune system, that are ‘rewired’ to hunt and destroy cancer cells. To advance these therapies for different types of cancers, and to make them safer and more effective, Texas researchers write synthetic DNA programs and introduce them into living cells. However, unlike programming a computer, programming cells requires physically assembling DNA molecules, a process that involves the mixing of very small volumes of liquid in tiny test tubes. This time-consuming process can be greatly accelerated by a DNA assembly infrastructure based on industrial...

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Biological therapies are revolutionizing cancer treatment. These therapies are based on genetically engineered cells, such as those from the human immune system, that are ‘rewired’ to hunt and destroy cancer cells. To advance these therapies for different types of cancers, and to make them safer and more effective, Texas researchers write synthetic DNA programs and introduce them into living cells. However, unlike programming a computer, programming cells requires physically assembling DNA molecules, a process that involves the mixing of very small volumes of liquid in tiny test tubes. This time-consuming process can be greatly accelerated by a DNA assembly infrastructure based on industrial-style robotic liquid handling. Unfortunately, no such DNA manufacturing facility currently exists in Texas, hindering our state’s development of cancer therapies. We will build the CPRIT Genetic Design & Engineering Center (GDEC) to accelerate the design of biological cancer therapies in Texas. The GDEC will be based at Rice University, an international leader in DNA design. GDEC will allow Texas researchers to deliver new therapies to patients at a much faster rate than is currently possible.

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