Evonetix

Biology researchers and drug developers need faster, cheaper, more accurate ways to synthesize long sequences of DNA. Cambridge, UK-based Evonetix has designed silicon chips that use thermal control and a phenomenon called dielec­trophoresis to construct and transport oligonu­cleotide sequences — assembling short strands of DNA into long strands with up to thousands of base pairs, with built-in error correction. The ability to rapidly prototype genes and pathways using synthesized DNA could unlock oppor­tu­ni­ties in healthcare, energy, agriculture, materials, and data storage.