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ACS Synthetic Biology

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ACS Synthetic Biology
TitleACS Synthetic Biology
DisciplineSynthetic biology
AbbreviationACS Synth. Biol.
EditorChristopher A. Voigt
PublisherAmerican Chemical Society
CountryUnited States
History2012–present
FrequencyMonthly
Impact5.6
Impact-year2023
Issn2161-5063

ACS Synthetic Biology

ACS Synthetic Biology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original research, reviews, and technical notes in the field of synthetic biology. The journal bridges molecular biology, chemical engineering, systems biology, and biotechnology by disseminating work on genetic circuits, metabolic engineering, and biomolecular design. It is published by the American Chemical Society and edited by Christopher A. Voigt.

Overview

The journal covers engineering of biological systems, including work on gene circuits, metabolic pathways, protein design, and cellular chassis. Articles often integrate methods from CRISPR-Cas9, RNA synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, directed evolution, and protein engineering. The readership includes researchers affiliated with institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley. Contributors frequently collaborate across organizations including Broad Institute, Max Planck Society, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

History and Development

Launched in 2012 by the American Chemical Society, the journal responded to rapid advances exemplified by milestones such as the publication of synthetic genomes and programmable nucleases. Founding editorial leadership connected to laboratories led by figures from Wyss Institute, Synthetic Genomics, and groups associated with Craig Venter and George Church. Early volumes reflected the rise of technologies like next-generation sequencing, DNA synthesis, and optogenetics. Over time, editorial guidance adapted to policy dialogues involving entities such as the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, United States Food and Drug Administration, and international partners like European Commission research initiatives.

Scope and Aims

The stated aim is to accelerate design, construction, and characterization of engineered biological systems. Emphasis includes scalable design tools, standards for biological parts, and chassis development for applications in energy, health, and materials science. The journal targets advances relevant to projects at organizations like Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, Novartis, Ginkgo Bioworks, and Amyris. It highlights work that connects to landmark projects including the Human Genome Project, International Genetically Engineered Machine competitions, and translational pipelines intersecting with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention priorities. The scope spans synthetic constructs for microbes, plants, and mammalian cells, touching on collaborations with research centers such as Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London.

Publication and Editorial Policies

The editorial board comprises scholars from institutions including MIT, Stanford, ETH Zurich, University of Tokyo, and Peking University. The peer-review process follows single- or double-blind models depending on article type, with rapid communications and full articles treated distinctly. Policies reflect norms promoted by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics and align with data-sharing initiatives championed by Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded projects. The journal enforces biosafety and biosecurity guidelines consistent with recommendations from World Health Organization and national advisory panels. Conflicts of interest, funding disclosures, and data-availability statements follow standards similar to those used by Nature Biotechnology and Science Translational Medicine.

Abstracting and Indexing

Articles are indexed in major bibliographic services such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Service, and Google Scholar. Citations contribute to metrics tracked by Journal Citation Reports and institutional ranking services used by universities like UCLA and University of Michigan. The journal’s metadata is harvested for repositories and aggregators including CrossRef and discipline-specific databases used by research libraries at Columbia University, University of Oxford, and University of Toronto.

Impact and Reception

The journal has been cited in policy reports and reviews produced by bodies such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and in white papers from companies like Genentech and Illumina. Its impact factor and h-index place it among influential specialized titles in synthetic biology, alongside journals like Synthetic Biology (Oxford Academic), Nature Chemical Biology, and ACS Nano for cross-disciplinary work. Reception in the community highlights strengths in rigorous methodology and translational relevance, while commentary in outlets such as Nature, Science, and The Scientist has debated ethical and regulatory implications of published technologies.

Notable Articles and Special Issues

Noteworthy contributions include work on construction of genetic circuits inspired by studies from Elowitz and Leibler-style oscillators, scalable metabolic pathway optimization methods used by groups at Amyris and Ginkgo Bioworks, and reports on minimal genomes associated with research from Venter Institute. Special issues have focused on topics aligned with consortium efforts such as synthetic genome projects, standards for biological parts paralleling BioBricks Foundation initiatives, and ethical frameworks discussed at conferences like Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution & Design and meetings hosted by International Genetically Engineered Machine. High-profile reviews and perspective pieces have connected to debates involving biosecurity and governance dialogues convened at World Economic Forum panels and national advisory committees.

Category:Scientific journals Category:American Chemical Society academic journals Category:Synthetic biology