Elise Cachat

Elise Cachat is a Senior Lecturer in Synthetic Biology at the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences and serves as Director of Community and Culture at the Centre for Engineering Biology. As a Group Leader within the Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology (IQB3), she bridges fundamental research with industry applications and art-science collaborations.

Education:

• PhD Microbiology, Heriot-Watt University (2001-2005)
• MPhil Organic Chemistry, Heriot-Watt University (2000-2001)

Her research centers on mammalian synthetic biology with three core thrusts: engineering synthetic sensor circuits for disease pathway interrogation (e.g., cancer-macrophage interactions in metastasis), developing community toolkits like chromobodies and CRISPR systems, and addressing biotech industry challenges through engineered CHO cells and microalgae. She pioneers interdisciplinary work through BioArt projects exploring yeast-mammalian coexistence and speculative fiction about urban biotechnology.

Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal strong interdisciplinary convergence, integrating synthetic biology with computer science (HCI), art, and industrial bioprocessing. Key trends include therapeutic receptor engineering, sustainable bioproduction, and ethical frameworks for cross-kingdom cellular systems.

Scientific Awards:

• Nominated for Science Breakthrough of the Year 2024 in Art & Science category at Falling Walls Science Summit

Dr. Cachat actively supervises five PhD students across theoretical and applied projects, supported by BBSRC funding and industry partnerships with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and MiAlgae. Her MSc Synthetic Biology program trains next-generation engineers through hands-on tool development courses.

She leads the Cachat Lab within the UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology, fostering collaborations between biologists, artists, and social scientists through initiatives like 'Crossing Kingdom' and 'Biopolis', which explore societal implications of engineered biological systems.