AI and Synthetic Biology: Part 1

The third episode of the Genomics Futures podcast focuses on AI and synthetic genomics!The future of genomics is not just being read, it is also being written, and AI will play a key role. AI will design experiments, labs will automate discovery, and human tissues-in-a-dish will unlock real causality in disease.In this two-part episode, we talk about how this could look, with part one covering a few key topics, including: The shift from reading to writing: Genomics is moving from a "reading frame" (sequencing) to a "writing frame" where scientists can synthesise large segments of DNA from scratch to create synthetic cell states or highly efficient artificial systems. AI-commissioned research: Future AI models may go beyond data interpretation to actively designing experiments, potentially transforming the role of the researcher into a strategic driver rather than a performer of routine tasks. Human proxies and tissues-in-a-dish: A major goal for 2050 is to move beyond simple cell cultures to create complex artificial tissues and organoids that faithfully mimic human systems (like vasculature and immune responses) to derive true causality in disease research. Sustainability of business models: Current pharmaceutical business models may be unsustainable for "one-and-done" genomic cures; new systems are needed to amortise the high costs of these therapies over a patient's lifetime.This episode includes interviews with: Professor Muzlifah Haniffa, Deputy Director at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Dr Mathew Garnett, Group Leader also at Wellcome Sanger Institute, who speak about synthetic biology and the use of Artificial Intelligence for the advancement of genomics.Dr Alta Charo, emeritus professor of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin and Professor Robert Smith, lecturer of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Edinburgh, discuss the ethics around these topics.  25 years on from the release of the first draft of the human genome, the Genomics Futures podcast series explores what the future of genomics will be like in 2050.Across 6 episodes, we explore the themes and topics that arose from discussions that took place during the Genomics Futures workshops, hosted by the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Wellcome in 2025.The aim of these podcasts is not to showcase definitive thoughts, but to explore the possibilities of genomics in twenty five years’ time, hence why some speakers may contradict each other. The views expressed in these podcasts are of the speakers alone.Further information about the workshops including further outputs can be found here: https://www.sanger.ac.uk/innovation/sanger-genomics-futures-series/This podcast is produced by the Wellcome Sanger Institute.