The Brave New World of DNA Synthesis

Over the last several decades, DNA – the genetic material of life as we know it – has completed a remarkable scientific cycle. In 1953, it was a mysterious blur on an X-ray diffractogram. By the 1970s, it was possible to determine the sequence of short nucleotide chains. And now, a scientist can produce her own genetic code of choice with the click of a mouse.

What happens after the mouse click, after an order for a chain of DNA is sent, is an impressive series of events that represents one of the most mature, yet dynamic, sectors of the biotech industry. DNA synthesis companies range from scrappy start-ups to Cambridge-area behemoths, each touting a distinct set of tools that carves out a slice of the ever increasing pie.

For many groups, the human genome project – the $3 billion effort funded by the U.S. government – was an important launching point that both advanced DNA sequencing and synthesis technology and prompted important questions worthy of further scientific investigation. “We are a direct beneficiary of all the sequencing...