The integration of synthetic biology into environmental and resource management offers promising avenues for addressing sustainability challenges. Traditional methods for treating pollutants and managing waste often lack efficiency, present high costs, or lead to adverse ecological impacts, necessitates novel solutions. Synthetic biology provides transformative potential, enabling precise engineering of microbial and enzymatic systems to convert waste into valuable products such as biofuels, bioplastics, and industrial chemicals. Simultaneously, these engineered systems can detoxify pollutants. Advances in metabolic engineering, gene circuits, and genome editing tools have significantly broadened the toolkit for designing robust biological systems capable of functioning in complex and contaminated environments. These innovations promote circular bioeconomy models, presenting scalable, eco-friendly alternatives to conventional remediation technologies, while highlighting the need for ongoing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of synthetic biology, waste valorization, and environmental sustainability.
This Research Topic aims to address the critical environmental and sustainability challenges arising from the accumulation of industrial, agricultural, and municipal waste, as well as the persistence of toxic pollutants in ecosystems. With traditional remediation and waste management approaches often facing constraints in cost, efficiency, and long-term sustainability, the goal is to explore innovative biotechnological strategies, particularly in synthetic biology. These strategies focus on converting waste into bio-based products and utilizing engineered biological systems to remediate environmental contaminants. The collection of research under this theme will explore advances in metabolic engineering, enzyme design, biosensors, and microbial consortia. It will highlight novel methods for engineering microbes and biological networks that are resilient, efficient, and adaptable for both in situ and ex-situ applications. Ultimately, the Research Topic encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration, bridging laboratory research with real-world implementation for eco-friendly technologies that support a sustainable bioeconomy.
To gather further insights into the interdisciplinary application of synthetic biology for waste transformation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Biocatalytic systems for pollutant breakdown - Engineered microbial consortia for waste valorization - Synthetic biology tools for POPs bioremediation - Biofoundry approaches for environmental applications - Biosensors for detecting and transforming pollutants
We welcome original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives, and methodological papers that provide novel insights, experimental data, or technological advancements relevant to this scope. Submissions should aim to bridge fundamental synthetic biology with practical applications for sustainable environmental management.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Case Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Original Research
Perspective
Review
Systematic Review
Keywords: Waste Valorization, Bioremediation, Sustainable Waste Management, Biofuels, Green Technology
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
