UK must do more to lead innovation in bio-tech sector, Lords committee says

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The cross-party Lords Science and Technology Committee said the UK must do more to boost innovation in the area of engineering biology to prevent it from entering a “doom loop” where foreign competitors leapfrog British efforts. The committee believes that without urgent action across the key areas set out in our report, the UK is at severe risk of losing the potential benefits of a world-leading engineering biology sector. “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.”