Laboratory bench to life: Connecting biotechnology and sustainability impact
Praanjal Agarwal, Associate Director – Technical & Innovation at Sustain Labs Paris, highlights how the gap between innovation and implementation raises critical questions about resource prioritisation and allocation in an industry tackling climate change and public health crises
It is noteworthy that despite significant technological advancements, the biotechnology industry, recognised for its innovative potential, faces challenges in translating its groundbreaking research into scalable, real-world applications. Billions of funds are being given to research and development annually. Despite the promise of collaborations and advancements, a significant portion of investment in innovation seems to remain stuck in laboratories. This limits the growth of transformative products and processes that could effectively address real-world challenges. This gap between innovation and implementation raises essential questions about how resources are prioritised and allocated for an industry that confronts climate change and public health crises.
One major hurdle is the imbalance in R&D budgets. With a high capex and opex in biomanufacturing, while significant sums are dedicated to research, funding for translating discoveries into viable, market-ready products remains extremely small. Translational research involves applying scientific discoveries to develop practical applications and often receives a fraction of the investment directed towards basic research. Collaborative efforts, while celebrated, frequently fail to overcome the silos between academia, industry and policy frameworks. Instead of driving commercialisation and adoption, these partnerships and collaborations risk becoming exercises in research for research’s sake.
Collaboration is often hailed as a solution to the biotechnology industry’s challenges. Partnerships between academics and private and public institutes are essential for accelerating innovations. However, these collaborations often fail to deliver what was promised. Each party focused on its priorities rather than shared success. This is evident from public private partnerships where government and academia are driven by societal benefits and private entities often prioritise profit growth. This divergence can lead to projects heavy on research outputs but light on practicality. The regulatory hurdles and fragmented policy landscapes further complicate the process.
Another challenge lies in scaling, not in producing biotechnological solutions but in scaling nature-based and community-focused approaches to sustainability. Nature-based solutions, which leverage natural processes to address environmental challenges, hold immense promise for creating sustainable systems. Examples include microbial bioremediation, cultivating algae for biofuels, and developing bio-based alternatives to replace plastic. Despite the potential, most NbS remain confined to pilot projects and small-scale initiatives, struggling to achieve the broader impact they can deliver. This is not due to a lack of innovation but higher upfront costs compared to conventional methods, the lack of standardised metrics and fragmented ecosystems to quantify the efficacy and scalability, further deterring investments. Weak policy incentives for NbS remain consistent, with few governments offering subsidies to make these solutions competitive. NbS provide pathways to a more sustainable future from carbon sequestration to water purification. Scaling these solutions requires financial investments and rigorous efforts to build the necessary infrastructure, train local communities and establish clear regulatory frameworks.
If I look at this optimistically, while the biotechnology sector faces significant challenges, specific intradisciplinary niches connect the gap between innovation and impact. Industrial biotechnology is applying scientific advances to create sustainable solutions. Companies in this space are developing a wide range of products, from bio-based alternatives to petrochemical-derived products, to support a circular economy by turning waste streams into valuable resources. String Bio, the country’s biomanufacturing company, has String Integrated Methane Platform that specialises in producing agricultural ingredients and human and animal nutrition from methane gas. Sustain Labs Paris worked closely with String to identify their emission hotspots through a life cycle assessment study. Agricultural biotechnology is another area that has shown evident progress. Precision farming and microbial soil enhancers are transforming agriculture, enabling farmers to produce more with fewer resources. These advancements are significant in climate change, where efficiency and resilience are critical for food security. Healthcare research, too, is seeing advanced developments. From mRNA vaccines to CRISPR based therapies, biotech innovations are revolutionising medicine.
These bottlenecks need to be broken down to reduce the struggle of the biotech industry to translate research into impact, which is not an undefeatable challenge. First, industries should recognise the importance of translational research and appropriately allocate funds. Other stakeholders like the government and philanthropic organisations all play an essential part in bridging the gap between discovery and commercialisation. Second, the partnerships must move beyond the macro-level collaborations to cherish the innovation ecosystem. Technology incubators and innovation hubs can serve as a bridge to academia and industry to commercialise research with a societal focus. Lastly, the policy frameworks need an upgrade and evolution to support the scale. Policies that promote equitable access to biotechnological innovations are essential to ensure that benefit sharing reaches the grassroots communities.
Ultimately, the biotechnology industry needs to redefine its approach to innovation, giving impact equal weightage as it gives to discovery. This means investing in new ideas and ensuring they elevate people and the planet. The industry must embrace a broader sustainability vision, aligning social, economic, and environmental goals.
The future requires breaking down the silos, connecting the dots and empowering communities. It also demands a commitment to inclusivity, ensuring all benefits are accessible to everyone.
Ultimately, innovation that stays confined to a lab is not innovation. Presently, actual progress demands that every breakthrough transforms the communities and ecosystem. Biotech can only claim its rightful role as a cornerstone of a sustainable future.