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Synthetic biology in Indonesia: Potential and projection in a country with mega biodiversity

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Abstract and Figures

Synthetic biology has gained many interest around the globe in the last two decades, not only due to its rapid development but also the potential to provide addressable solutions using standardized design of biological systems. Considering its huge population, biodiversity, and natural resources, Indonesia could play an important role in shaping the future of synthetic biology towards a sustainable bio-circular economy. Here, we provide an overview of synthetic biology development in Indonesia, especially on exploring the potential of our biodiversity. We also discuss some potentials of synthetic biology in solving national issues. Furthermore, we also provide the projection and future landscape of synthetic biology development in Indonesia. In addition, we briefly explain the potential challenges that may arise during the development.
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Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
Available online 28 February 2023
2665-9069/© 2023 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC
BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Synthetic biology in Indonesia: Potential and projection in a country with
mega biodiversity
Immanuel Sanka
a
,
b
,
*
, Ali Budhi Kusuma
a
,
c
, Faustina Martha
a
,
d
, Andre Hendrawan
a
,
Ihsan Tria Pramanda
a
,
e
, Adhityo Wicaksono
a
,
f
, Af Pranaya Jati
a
,
g
, Maulida Mazaya
h
,
Ari Dwijayanti
a
, Nurul Izzati
a
,
c
, Muhammad Farhan Maulana
a
, Aulia Reski Widyaningrum
a
a
Synthetic Biology Indonesia (Synbio.id), Jl. Raya Lintas Sumbawa-Bima, Block AA No. 1, Boak Village, Subdistrict Unter Iwes, 84316, Sumbawa, Indonesia
b
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
c
Indonesian Centre for Extremophile Bioresources and Biotechnology (ICEBB), Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Sumbawa University of Technology, Jl. Raya
Olat Maras Sumbawa, 84371, Indonesia
d
Science Communication Steering Committee, iGEM Foundation, 45 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA, 02139, United States
e
Department of Bio Technology, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L), Jl. Pulomas Barat Kav. 88, Pulomas, Jakarta, 13210, Indonesia
f
Division of Biotechnology, Genbinesia Foundation, Jalan Swadaya Barat no. 4, Gresik, 61171, Indonesia
g
Infection Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
h
Research Center for Computing, Research Organization for Electronics and Informatics, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong Science Center, Jl.
Raya Jakarta-Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, 16911, West Java, Indonesia
ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
Synthetic biology
Indonesia
Mega biodiversity
Synbio development
ABSTRACT
Synthetic biology has gained many interest around the globe in the last two decades, not only due to its rapid
development but also the potential to provide addressable solutions using standardized design of biological
systems. Considering its huge population, biodiversity, and natural resources, Indonesia could play an important
role in shaping the future of synthetic biology towards a sustainable bio-circular economy. Here, we provide an
overview of synthetic biology development in Indonesia, especially on exploring the potential of our biodiversity.
We also discuss some potentials of synthetic biology in solving national issues. Furthermore, we also provide the
projection and future landscape of synthetic biology development in Indonesia. In addition, we briey explain
the potential challenges that may arise during the development.
1. Introduction
Synthetic biology is an emerging eld of biotechnology that allows
biologists and engineers to create de novo designs or modications to
biological systems to perform novel tasks and provide applicable solu-
tions.
1,2
The motivation of this growing eld is to provide standardized
DNA assembly techniques and allow researchers to focus on the research
topic or its development.
3
The current applications of synthetic biology
encompass cellular products (e.g., soy leghemoglobin, Januvia diabetic
drug, etc.) and the cell itself as a product (e.g., PROVEN biological ni-
trogen fertilizer for corn from Pivot Bio, high-oleic oil from Calyxt,
etc.).
4
Moreover, synthetic biology has been used to provide solutions in
biomedical research, pathogen modication, bioproduct optimization,
environmental monitoring, and bioremediation.
5
However, the
information related to synthetic biology in developing countries such as
Indonesia is still limited.
Indonesia is known for its mega biodiversity,
6
which includes plant,
animal, and microorganism. For instances, there are 96 species of plants
in West Timor that are used to treat malaria, including Acorus calamus L,
Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith., Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.a, Cleome
rutidosperma DC., and etc.
7
There are 283 plant species that have been
ofcially regulated and can be used as herbal medicine in Indonesia.
8
Not only from the plants, there are some fermented foods that are pro-
cessed using local bacteria as well, such as mustard cabbage, soybeans,
cassava, and the esh of durian.
9
In a recent genome mining study, 422
actinomycetes strains were isolated from three different regions in
Indonesia, and nine of them indicated potential for producing bioactive
compounds.
10
A study of 205 bacterial isolates from sponges and corals
* Corresponding author. Synthetic Biology Indonesia (Synbio.id), Jl. Raya Lintas Sumbawa-Bima, Block AA No. 1, Boak Village, Subdistrict Unter Iwes, 84316,
Sumbawa, Indonesia.
E-mail address: immanuel.sanka@taltech.ee (I. Sanka).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Biotechnology Notes
journal homepage: www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/biotechnology-notes/
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotno.2023.02.002
Received 30 December 2022; Received in revised form 14 February 2023; Accepted 14 February 2023
Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
42
in Indonesia also found 12 isolates that showed the ability to produce
antibacterial compounds.
11
Despite these opportunities, the exploration
and application of novel DNA sequences or proteins to advance synthetic
biology in Indonesia has yet to be thoroughly discussed.
On the other hand, synthetic biology has made remarkable ad-
vancements,
12
from utilizing DNA for data storage up to completing a
full synthesis of E.coli genome.
13,14
There are some reports regarding
synthetic biology development in different countries and regions,
including in Europe,
15
United Kingdom,
16
Netherlands,
17
Germany,
18
Slovakia,
19
and Czech Republic.
20
Although there are some articles
regarding synthetic biology development in developing countries, e.g.,
Argentina,
21
Africa,
22
and Asia,
23
the discussion of exploring national
potential such as Indonesias mega biodiversity has not been reported.
In this article, we discuss i) the development of synthetic biology in
Indonesia, ii) the potential of synthetic biology research on biodiversity,
iii) the projection and potential roles of Indonesian stakeholders for
synthetic biology advancement in Indonesia, and iv) the challenges of
using synthetic biology to maximize the biodiversity in a country with
mega biodiversity like Indonesia.
2. From research and competition to community
Synthetic biology was rst introduced in an international forum as a
competition in 2004 in the United States of America, known as the In-
ternational Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition.
24
There were only 5 teams when the rst iGEM was held and as of 2022,
the competition has grown immensely and 356 teams joined from over
70 countries.
25
Along with the competition, synthetic biology enthusi-
asts in the region also organized the rst international meeting (SB1.0)
at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
26
The following years,
in the private sector, some companies were founded, such as Ginkgo
Bioworks which was originated from a research group in MIT which also
involved in iGEM team, and Synbiobeta which constantly provide a
space for synthetic biology enthusiasts to meet and connect.
27,28
In Indonesia, synthetic biology research was primarily initiated by
academic research groups which work closely with genetic engineering
and biotechnology (Fig. 1). Students from these groups formed teams
and participated in iGEM. The rst Indonesian team which participated
in iGEM was BAU-Indonesia from the Bogor Agricultural University
(IPB). The team participated in 2012 with the focus on nding solutions
for effective plastic degradation.
29
The team used cutinase genes (parts
BBa_K923001 and BBa_K923002) isolated from Thermobida fusca and
delivered the degradation module in pSB1C3. In the following years,
more iGEM teams are coming from Indonesia, e.g., from Bandung
Institute of Technology (ITB_Indonesia),
3034
Technology University of
Sumbawa (Sumbawagen),
35,36
University of Indonesia,
3743
Brawijaya
University (UB_Indonesia),
4446
Sriwijaya University (Sriwijaya),
47
and
Gadjah Mada University (UGM_Indonesia).
48
The projects were ranging
from designing enzymes (e.g., polyethylene-degrading enzyme, esterase
enzyme, etc.), detecting compounds (e.g., diphteria toxin, glucose con-
centration in honey, etc.), and diagnostic tools (e.g., tumor seromarker,
Tuberculosis, Human Papillomavirus HPV, dengue, etc.). Recently,
one Indonesian university (Universitas Sanata Dharma) also teamed up
with iGEM team Sogang_Korea 2022 to participate in the competition.
49
Each team brought different topics where it relies on the iGEM tracks,
but not limited to solving the local or/and national problems, including
to preserve biodiversity (Supp. Table 1). In addition, a number of
Indonesian students who have nished their study abroad also came
back and built national communities to promote synthetic biology, e.g.,
Synbio.id, and initiated various activities that involves journal clubs,
seminars, and competitions.
50
In some other cases, synthetic biology
enthusiasts initiated independent community and participated in
different events, such as the Synbiobeta Activate in Singapore (2014)
and Synbio for Indonesia gathering which was held in 2014 in Malang,
West Java - Indonesia.
51
Over the years, conference forums such as
Synbio.id Initiative events (e.g., Bioinformatics and Synthetic Biology
Competition - BIOS, SynbioTalks, SynbioVirtualSummit, Synbiotechfest,
etc.) and Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Conference have sup-
ported the growth of synthetic biology in Indonesia.
50,52
Recently, there
are some organizations which also start providing courses for synthetic
biology enthusiasts, e.g., Bioinformatics Institute of Indonesia
(INBIO-Indonesia)
53
and Generasi Biologi Indonesia (Genbinesia).
54
Moreover, there are some governments and higher education institution
initiatives which could accommodate synthetic biology enthusiasts to
perform research, such as Indonesian Culture Collection (inaCC), Indo-
nesian Natural Product Library (INPL) and Biomedical and Genome
Science Initiative (BGSi) in 2014, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
5557
There are newly introduced facilities called techno parks (named STPs)
which will be discussed on later section.
Synthetic biology implements the principle of design, build, test, and
Fig. 1. Initiatives from synthetic biology enthusiasts in Indonesia over the years. In brief, there are three initiatives which came from research groups (iGEM teams),
student/open community (independent initiative) and government institutions/ministries (government initiative).
I. Sanka et al.
Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
43
learn (DBTL) to re-engineer or produce desired genetic circuits or
pathways.
58,59
These four pillars guide the researchers and practitioners
to tweak biological systems and turn them into benecial products.
Apart from the projects that have been mentioned in the previous sec-
tion, competitions which are held by Synbio.id have empowered Indo-
nesian students to adopt the same principle through bioinformatics and
synthetic biology competition (BIOS) (Fig. 2A). In this competition,
teams of students were required to develop ideas by using bioinformatics
and/or synthetic biology approaches to address local issues in Indonesia.
The results of the most recent competition held in 2022 are available on
jogl.io an open platform for community science and innovation.
60
Using these results, the word analysis and counts are visualized to show
the participantsinterests (Fig. 2B and 2C). The topics which were dis-
cussed in the competition ranged from energy to health. Both groups
discussed Indonesia since the theme of the competition was bringing
collaborative action using local wisdom in Indonesia’’. Even though the
participants mainly performed in silico research, the initiative was
meant to push more synthetic biology educative space for students in
Indonesian universities.
3. Research between synthetic biology and biodiversity are
growing in Indonesia
Synthetic biology has shown various applications in different sub-
jects, including in preserving biodiversity.
61
In Indonesia, research in
biodiversity is closely related to bioprospecting. For instance, in mi-
crobial resources, the bioprospecting campaign in Indonesia has now
been determined to explore pristine extreme habitats, notably in the
search of novel extremophilic microbes for industrial biotechnology
purposes. Some novel extremophilic actinomycetota species were
discovered from Indonesian extremobiosphere, for example Streptomyces
harenosi,
62
Streptomyces sabulosicollis,
63
and Actinospica acid-
ithermotolerans.
64
These species possess a large genome size (>8 Mb)
which contain various biosynthetic gene clusters known to be associated
with its capacity to produce various antibiotics and some other valuable
secondary metabolites. While many of these gene clusters are silent or
cryptic under laboratory conditions, they can potentially be isolated and
expressed under specic promoters in other organisms to produce en-
zymes involved in the biosynthesis of desired metabolites. This would
allow for the production of valuable chemicals that would be benecial
for society.
Indonesian researchers also attempted to use synthetic biology to
address waste issues in the palm oil industry. In 2015, a research team at
Surya University received foreign funding to investigate the use of waste
materials from palm oil production to produce valuable chemicals using
Pseudomonas putida.
65
Initially, the team focused on inserting additional
genes into P. putida to transform γ-valerolactone, a chemical compound
derived from lignocellulose waste found in empty fruit bunches, into
pentanol. However, the gene expression tools they had, which were
developed for E. coli, did not work as intended with P. putida. As a result,
the focus of the research shifted to developing a set of genetic tools that
would allow better genetic manipulation and gene expression in
P. putida. This included by replacing the promoter driving lacI expres-
sion on the vector with weaker promoters, creating a BBR1-B5 origin of
replication, and developing a λ Red/Cas9 recombineering method for
genome editing in P. putida.
66
This case illustrates that real-world
problems can serve as a starting point for the development of syn-
thetic biology tools.
Although the use of synthetic biology in Indonesia is still limited,
there are some examples where synthetic biology can be used to pre-
serve Indonesian biodiversity. For instance, the production of synthetic
peptide DRGN-1 originated from Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
which was predicted to have potent antimicrobial and anti-biolm ac-
tivity. This discovery would help to prevent the exploitation of Komodo
dragons, which could otherwise contribute to their extinction.
67
Another example is from Rafesia, there is one species Rhizanthes lowii
(local name: ulur-ulur; Rafesiaceae) which has been actively sold as a
local medicine, and this has happened in Malaysia as well.
68
There are at
least 21 metabolites that have been identied across Rafesiaceae
family and some of them are predictably potent as medicines under both
in vitro and in silico studies.
6972
Even though the plants have such
secondary metabolites which could be used for potential medicine, un-
controlled harvest with no possibility of cultivating the plant may also
lead to the extinction. This also happens to marine invertebrates,
including corals and sponges. Izzati et al.
73
reported that 105 novel
compounds have been found in marine invertebrates from Indonesia
since 2017. These compounds have been used in medical research (e.g.,
antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inammatory, etc.). Though the organisms
hold such potential, sponge and corals can only grow 02.2 cm annu-
ally.
74
Notwithstanding, producing those kinds of compounds through a
synthetic biology approach would eliminate the actual sample retrieval
from nature and support biodiversity preservation. In addition,
Indonesia is also known for its unique coffee beans that are derived from
feces of civet cat (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), known as one of the most
expensive coffees in the world, named as kopi luwak.
75
The production of
kopi luwak requires wild civet cats to eat the beans and the process will
Fig. 2. Synthetic biology enables more opportunities
to explore Indonesia and solve local problems in
different angles. A) Activity such as BIOS competition
can accommodate synthetic biology enthusiasts to
design, build, learn and test their research. B) Using
the abstract written in English, there are some topics
related to COVID (omicron, sars-cov-2, etc.), energy
(hydrogen), etc. C) In Bahasa Indonesia, the topics
kanker (cancer), penyakit (disease), vaksin
(vaccine), senyawa (compound), protein, diabetes
are discussed more in the projects.
I. Sanka et al.
Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
44
follow through naturally until the collection of feces. The beans will be
collected as partially digested beans which are then cleaned, dried and
roasted to be commercialized worldwide.
76
Some researchers have
identied the microbiome which contribute to the civet cats gastroin-
testinal digestions.
77,78
With synthetic biology, there is an opportunity
to construct a microbiome which could digest coffee beans without
exploiting the wild civet cats. Even though the mentioned examples are
only the study case, these may help to provide prospectus examples in
conserving and preserving biodiversity in Indonesia.
From some Indonesian iGEM teams, there are some examples where
the teams tried to protect the local environment which may affect the
biodiversity. A case from iGEM UGM, they had concern regarding toxic
residues of cyanide from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM)
which would present during the gold extraction process. By utilizing
Chromobacterium violaceum, they were able to design prospectus model
for both producing and degrading cyanide in gold extraction process.
48
They implemented the design, build, test and learn (DBTL) cycle to
maintain the regulation of HCN synthase (cyanide degradation
enzyme)
79
through activation process which can be triggered by the
presence of glucose and arabinose. From different university, iGEM team
ITB in 2014 and 2017 tried to design E. coli which were able to degrade
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic.
31,33
The idea came from the
concern of long degradation time of plastic which have already polluted
the environment, including in Indonesia. Both teams created modules to
optimize plastic degradation by constructing modular systems of PET
degradation enzymes and speeding up the bacteria-plastic interaction
through biolm production. Even though these examples did not
intersect to the biodiversity directly, the mentioned teams were able to
deliver prospectus solutions which have disrupted the environment and
potentially harm the biodiversity.
4. Projection and outlook of Indonesian synthetic biology
landscape
Synthetic biology is still considered a relatively new eld compared
to well-established concepts such as biotechnology, molecular biology,
bioinformatics, etc. Combining engineering principles into biology de-
mands more stakeholders to get onboard, not only from the research
institution but also from various available stakeholders. In Fig. 3, each
stakeholder that potentially suits the role in promoting synthetic biology
in Indonesia is discussed. Using the activity system proposed by
Engerstr¨
om (1987)
80
which was discussed in Alexander and Hjortsø
(2019),
81
the potential stakeholders can be organized and connected to
make a rigid system for synthetic biology development. Adding start-up
as a new variable to support the subjects could bring a robust environ-
ment in Indonesia. From Fig. 3, tools (conferences, lecturers, etc.) could
be used to mediate the subjects (students, lecturers, etc.) to produce
objects (publications, thesis, etc.). In brief, the communities (Synbio.id,
MABBI, etc.) can act as catalysts to support the rules (research agency,
related ministries, etc.) and each division of labor (between stakeholder)
to strengthen the synthetic biology development in Indonesia. For
instance, MABBI
82
(biodiversity and bioinformatics organization) and
Genbinesia
54
(a foundation focused on education and empowerment in
biology) have expanded their base community to discuss synthetic
biology. Moreover, having short term and long-term goals using this
abstraction enables synthetic biology enthusiasts in Indonesia to map
the gap and potential which need to be fullled and explored, respec-
tively. For example, having more platforms in local language as a short
goal will eliminate the language barrier and ease the dissemination of
synthetic biology principle and concept. Since Bahasa/Indonesian lan-
guage is used nationwide, the use of local language will not only help
education practitioners (e.g., lecturers, docent, etc.) to share the
knowledge easier but also to provide inspiration to other synthetic
biology initiatives globally for using their languages in introducing
synthetic biology in their region.
Fig. 3. Indonesia has potential stakeholders to boost synthetic biology and enhance its potential to explore biodiversity and provide solutions for local problems. This
scheme requires different subjects, tools, community, rules, roles, and newly introduced industries like start-ups to work together. Using this scheme, the short term
and long-term goals/outcomes could be determined.
I. Sanka et al.
Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
45
In the light of accelerating the national capacity in translating
STEMs research and increasing the number of technological-based-start
up in Indonesia, the Indonesian government has launched a program to
build 100 science and techno parks (called STP) that are located in
several provinces around the country since 2015. Each STP develops and
incubates a specic research focus that aligns with the development
strategic plan of the assigned province. Some of the STP were designed
to support the development of life sciences-based business in sustainable
utilization of natural resources, as exemplied by Sumbawa Technopark
and Diponegoro University Technopark that are agging biotechnology
and marine sciences as their core themes, respectively. The STP is later
known as the Science and Technology Area (to be called Kawasan Sains
dan Teknologi) which is declared in presidential regulation no. 106 in
2017 (Perpres No. 106, 2017).
83
As a cutting-edge research tool, synthetic biology plays a vital role in
supporting at least 6 out of 9 research elds as mapped out in National
Research Plan 20172045 (named as Rencana Induk Riset Nasional
20172045) (Perpres No. 38, 2018)
84
and its subsequent derivate, Na-
tional Research Priority 20202024 (named as Prioritas Riset Nasional
20202024,
85
which covers the eld of food, energy, health, engineer-
ing, maritime and multidisciplinary (Permenristekdikti No.38, 2019). In
the recent agenda, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
of Republic of Indonesia just launched four new STPs (Keputusan Kepala
BRIN No. 313/I/HK/2022) that are focusing on integrated research
center for biology, food, health, and the environment, center for
radiopharmaceutical products and irradiation-based medical therapy,
center for rocket and satellite, center for communication and informa-
tion technology, especially for Big data and Articial Intelligence.
86
Additionally, Indonesia is preparing a national repository for genome
(RNA/DNA) sequencing database and discovery analysis.
Thus, the Pentahelix collaboration of government institutions, uni-
versities, industries, social entrepreneurs, and civil society is important
to spread the spirit of research in this eld as synthetic biology is not
well recognized in Indonesia. The Ministry of Health of Indonesia took a
signicant step forward in 2022 by launching the Biomedical and
Genome Science Initiative (BGSi) in collaboration with BRIN. This
initiative has opened up new possibilities for synthetic biology enthu-
siasts in the country by offering a range of services such as sequencing
facilities and repositories like biobanks and registries.
57
Although the
focus of BGSi is on the health sector, these resources can be utilized by
researchers and students, providing a strong foundation for the
advancement of synthetic biology in Indonesia.
5. Challenges on biodiversity applications
The gap between high potential biodiversity
87,88
and its utiliza-
tion
6,89
in Indonesia has widened due to a number of variables. This
includes the high cost of conservation
90
and the access of genetic in-
formation of the biodiversity, especially in terms of nucleotide se-
quences.
91,92
Indeed, nucleotide sequences are the fundamental
components to understand genetic function and evolution which can be
used to explore the untapped potential of biodiversity.
93,94
To briey
explain the gap, there are several points which can be described here.
First, there is neither public nor private database storage available
locally. This makes some researchers can only publish their results in
well-established repositories, such as .
111113
Since the submission pro-
cesses do not provide local language (or in Bahasa), not all researchers
from Indonesia are able to put their work in the repositories. Second,
most of the research regarding nucleotides and biodiversity tend to be
sporadic, where each institution has its own data standard. Therefore,
standardization in a national level is required to support the data sharing
system. Third, the government supports the research and development
in Indonesia by providing different facilities, including Sanger
Sequencing, Illumina, ONT-Nanopore, CryoEM, etc. Yet, the promotion
to Indonesian researchers, academicians, and other users are still
limited. As a result, some researchers prefer to use commercial services
which have already known in the market compared to those offered by
the government. Thus, more promotion and user-friendly access to the
facilities could improve their visibility and use, respectively. In addition,
the knowledge gap regarding bioinformatics analysis, synthetic biology,
DBTL principles and related elds need more supports from different
stakeholders in Indonesia. These all challenges would be important to
advance synthetic biology in Indonesia. Moreover, DNA sequencing is
essential to the development of synthetic biology in many ways.
95
For
example, to understand the diseases mechanism and treatment,
96
drug
discovery and production,
97,98
vaccine development,
99,100
and medical
diagnosis
101
towards personalized and precision medicine.
102,103
In
order to bridge the gap, research collaboration and thorough studies are
essential to prevent identical results that overlap each other.
104
Thus,
the government through BRIN is taking consideration in developing
national nucleotide repository database and employing the National
Scientic Repository (RIN - https://rin.brin.go.id/). This will provide a
strong and tidy database that can be shared for joint and ongoing
research, including for synthetic biology development in Indonesia. In
the private sector, unfortunately, there is still no startup which focuses
on synthetic biology in Indonesia. However, there are biotechnology
companies which may support synthetic biology enthusiasts to perform
their research, e.g., Formulatrix Indonesia,
105
Nusantics (Nusantara
Genetics),
106
and PT GeneCraft Labs.
107
These companies/ startups
provide the automation of lab equipment, microbiome analysis, and
distribute reagents and consumables in Indonesia, respectively. In
addition to these, there are also some state-owned enterprises such as
Biopharma which now is the main vaccine producer from Indonesia.
108
Furthermore, partnerships between public and private sectors are
critical to the elds long-term development. Long-term government
funding is critical in supporting early-stage research on "grand chal-
lenges" where the risk is too high for industry to accept. However, in
addition to long-term investments in basic science, an effective mecha-
nism to catalyze technology translation and commercialization is
required, which is often best accomplished through private-public
partnerships. Gauvreau et al. discussed a "Key Innovation Technolo-
gies and Systems (KITS)" model as an ecosystem to propel research and
technology deployment, in which an integrated operation of research,
industry, entrepreneurship, and investment works to ensure the eco-
systems sustainability.
23
Additionally, national decision-makers may be
required to consider a variety of factors when assessing risk, including
socioeconomic concerns as well as impacts on indigenous and local
communities. Informed consent or approval, as well as the participation
of potentially affected indigenous peoples and local communities,
should be required before releasing engineered gene or synthetic or-
ganism(s) into the environment. Legislation may include provisions for
monitoring regulated activities, with regulations being revised on a
regular basis to keep up with technological advances.
109
However, a
public institutes research projects will be guided by key industry and
societal needs in a close working relationship, and an effective two-way
consultation ensures that the products and processes being developed
can be turned into viable business models.
23
6. Conclusion
Synthetic biology provides potential benets to conserve biodiver-
sity, especially in Indonesia. By identifying local problems, some re-
searchers and students have delivered examples and applicable solutions
using synthetic biology approaches. Moreover, the local problems could
eventually lead us to unprecedented ideas of basic research related to
synthetic biology. In order to boost the enthusiasm, Indonesian students,
researchers, and some organizations have conducted and initiated
various events, including workshops, webinars, conferences, and com-
petitions. Moreover, a considerable number of communities, univer-
sities, and other stakeholders including the government have started to
support the environment of synthetic biology in Indonesia. Providing a
clear role and collaboration between stakeholders could pave a clear
I. Sanka et al.
Biotechnology Notes 4 (2023) 41–48
46
direction for synthetic biology development in the near future.
Credit author statement
IS led the project, conceived the research, conducted article review,
and data analysis. ABK and MM were responsible to provide govern-
ments regulation, notably those related to the life sciences and synthetic
biology research. AH provided the case of metabolic engineering
research in Indonesia and proofread the article. APJ contributed in
adding information related to natural products in Indonesia. FPA
conceived the study of latest synthetic biology initiatives both within
iGEM community and in Indonesia. AW conceived the review idea and
supervised on the initial outline. NI was responsible in enriching the
manuscript with iGEM competition and community initiatives in
Indonesia. ITP provided critical review on manuscript, prepared iGEM
teams information table and discussions. MFM and ARW also contrib-
uted in proof-reading and discussions of the article. All author were
involved in the writing process and project.
Declaration of competing interest
All authors declare that they have no conicting interests.
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.biotno.2023.02.002.
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... Indonesia has a mega biodiversity that includes plants, animals, and microorganisms. Six thousand plant species have been used empirically as natural resources for traditional medicines by nearly 40 million Indonesians (Elfahmi et al., 2014;Erlina et al., 2022;Sanka et al., 2023). Jamu is a traditional Indonesian medicine that has not undergone preclinical or clinical trials but has been empirically proven to maintain health and treat disease as it has been used by Indonesian people for centuries (Elfahmi et al., 2014;Laplante, 2016;Ministry of Health, Republik Indonesia, 2022). ...
... The traditional Indonesian herbal medicine (Jamu) products that are produced from Indonesia's biodiversity are difficult to examine (Sanka et al., 2023). The development of Jamu into phytopharmaceuticals or standardized herbal medicine requires a long research phase and high costs with a risk of an extended research time (Brendler, 2021;Chen et al., 2023). ...
... Indonesia is one of the countries that has a large biodiversity or often referred to as megabiodiversity (Sanka et al., 2023;von Rintelen et al., 2017). However, such biodiversity can be a threat to the illegal trade of protected animals. ...
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