At LeoRios Lab, our research motivation focuses on promoting further understanding of the overlapping areas of Biochemical Engineering and Synthetic Biology, resulting in novel ways to apply this knowledge to tackle the global growing socio-economic inequalities. We have a firm belief that if scientists work together and gear their research and related activities towards this end, an immense contribution will be made fighting problems like equal access to food, energy and pharmaceuticals, boosting local bio-economies, access to high-quality education as well as the promotion of a sustainable environment. 

Our research areas
“What I cannot create, I do not understand”.- Richard Feynman

Microbiol Cell Factories: Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering

Engineering Microbial Consortia

Engineering Microbial Consortia

Engineered Microbial Consortia In their natural habitat, microbial cells live in organised consortia reaching a steady state in terms of...

Learn more
CRISPR Based Low Cost Diagnostics

CRISPR Based Low Cost Diagnostics

The active agent of a vaccine may be intact but inactivated or attenuated (with reduced infectivity) forms of the causative pathogens.

Learn more
Metabolic Engineering

Metabolic Engineering

Our group is working on applying synthetic biology tools to engineer microbial cell factories to produce high value a bulk products such as...

Learn more
Mammalian Cell Factories

Mammalian Cell Factories

Mammalian Cell Factories We are very excited to explore new production ways of biologics using mammalian cells. Therefore, we are venturing in...

Learn more
Multiplex Genome Engineering

Multiplex Genome Engineering

Vestibulum iaculis lacinia est. Proin dicm elementum velit. Fusce euismod consequat ante.

Learn more

Bioprocess Engineering

Biocatalysis and Protein Engineering

Biocatalysis and Protein Engineering

Vestibulum iaculis lacinia est. Proin dicm elementum velit. Fusce euismod consequat ante.

Learn more
Integrated Bioprocessing

Integrated Bioprocessing

Synthetic biology has allowed the engineering of novel synthetic multi-enzymatic pathways to produce high value products in a sustainable way...

Learn more
Continuous Flow Bioprocessing

Continuous Flow Bioprocessing

The bioprocessing industry has been mainly studied and commercialized using batch and fed-batch production methods, while little focus has been...

Learn more
Bioprocess Modelling

Bioprocess Modelling

Vestibulum iaculis lacinia est. Proin dicm elementum velit. Fusce euismod consequat ante.

Learn more

Bio-Automation

Automation enhanced by Artificial Intelligence: Applications into Synthetic Biology

Automation enhanced by Artificial Intelligence: Applications into Synthetic Biology

A drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. Over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription.

Learn more
Open Source Bio-automation

Open Source Bio-automation

A drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. Over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription.

Learn more
High Throughput Microscale and Mini Bioreactors

High Throughput Microscale and Mini Bioreactors

  Microscale Automated Bioprocessing Tools Microscale bioreators and its further automation have been a critical tool for the development of...

Learn more
Research Areas

We Develop Innovative Solutions

“Impossible only means you haven’t found the solution yet”. - Anonymous

Metabolic Engineering and Systems Biology

Microbial Cell Factories for the Sustainable Production of Drugs, Biomaterials and Biofuels

  • Anticancer Drug Taxol in S. cerevisiae
  • Jet Biofuels in Yarrowia Lipolytica
  • High Value Chiral Amino-alcohols in E. coli
  • High Value Alkaloids (i.e Ephedrine) in S. cerevisiae
  • Fragrances and Food Additives in E. coli and S. cerevisiae

High-throughput  Bioreactors

Mini and Microscale Bioreactors to Speed Up Bioprocess Development  Mimicking Large Scale Conditions

  • Advanced Microplate Based Bioreactors
  • Mini-Bioreactors Mimicking Industrial Scale Conditions
  • Microscale Continuous Flow Bioreactors
  • Low Cost 3D printed Bioreactors
  • Microfluidic MicroBioreactors

Smart Biosensors and Diagnostics

Synthetic Biology Tools Applied for Low-Cost Diagnostics and Biosensing Capabilities

  • CRISPR Based Diagnostics for COVID19
  • Biosensors Applied in Aquaculture
  • Digital Microfluidic Diagnostics

Automation and Artificial Intelligence

State of the Art Bio-Automation enhanced by Artificial Intelligence algorithms

  • Open Source Low Cost Automation
  • Edinburgh Genome BioFoundry
  • Bio-Automation Enhanced Through Artificial Intelligence
  • Automated Digital Microfluidics

Advanced Bioprocessing Technologies

Designing Novel Bioreactors and Intensified Bioprocesses to tackle Scale Up Challenges

  • Integrated Bioprocessing
  • Continuous Flow Bioprocesses
  • Scale up of Mammalian Cells Systems
  • Hybrid Biomodelling combining Machine Learning and deterministic algorithms
  • Life Cycle Assessments
Work With Us!

Opportunities

“If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shadow”. - Tom Peters
Postdoc and Fellowships Opportunities
Entrepreneurship
MSc, MScR and PhD Opportunities
Academic Partnerships
Industrial Collaborations
Visiting Students

About The Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology (SynthSys)

Edinburgh’s Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology (known as SynthSys) embraces a vibrant community of > 50 research groups and >200 researchers. Our research is broad and deep, addressing a diversity of scientific questions with wide ranging impacts for society, industry, the economy and our planet
0
University Investment in Synbio and SysBio (£ million)
0
Design, Buil and Measure World Class Core Facilities
0
Researchers (PhDs, Postdocs, Technicians and Principal Investigators)
0
Key Research Areas
Meet the Team

The Rising Stars of LeoRios Lab

``Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success``. - Henry Ford
Behnaz Nowrouzi
Behnaz Nowrouzi
PhD Student: Metabolic Engineering
Behnaz is focusing on genome engineering using plants P450 in yeast. These enzymes are promiscuous and therefore, minimizing by-products, while...
Kartikey Kansal
Kartikey Kansal
Undergraduate Student, Biotechnology, IIT Roorkee, India
Kartikey is a sophomore undergrad from IIT Roorkee, India and is interested in Synthetic Biology and Machine Learning
Laura E. Walls
Laura E. Walls
PhD Student: Bioprocess Engineering
Laura focuses on the development of an industrially relevant, scalable bioprocess for the production of high value isoprenoids. Laura is using...
Koray Malci
Koray Malci
PhD Student: Metabolic Engineering, Automation and Diagnostics
Koray is focusing on microbial cell factory design using novel genome engineering tools and automation platforms to produce high value...
Jorge H. Santoyo-Garcia
Jorge H. Santoyo-Garcia
PhD Student: Integrated Bioprocessing
Jorge focuses on Integrated Bioprocess design, developing novel high throughput production and recovery methods of high value natural products...
Ben Gold
Ben Gold
BEng Student: Civil Engineering
Ben is a civil engineering undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh
from the blog

Learn About Our Latest News, Events, Leading Technologies and Research Outputs

Digital Microfluidics Workship

Digital Microfluidics Workship

About the Biomedical Automation Network: The Biomedical Lab Automation (BLA) network aims to coordinate and maximize the potential of the University’s automation...

Read more
Standardization of biological parts for S. cerevisiae: a BioRoboost newsletter

Standardization of biological parts for S. cerevisiae: a BioRoboost newsletter

As our understanding of genetic circuits has improved, there has been a shift towards standardisation of the design process. This entails the creation of a library of...

Read more
Bio-automation at Edinburgh  University

Bio-automation at Edinburgh University

Sed up perspiciatis Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat...

Read more
testimonials

What People Say About Us

Glad to be a member of Dr. Leo’s lab. I have learned a lot in such a harmonious
atmosphere. Hope to keep updated on the well-designed website!
Junlin Dong (MSc Student)
Junlin DongMsc Student (Currently Research assistant in SIAT)

I’m really glad to have joined  Leo’s lab during my master year to conduct research on advanced machine scheduling for COVID-19 diagnosis optimization. I’m extremely impressed with the best scientific research atmosphere, the strongest scientific prowess, and the most harmonious relationships in this lab. These really helped me to make progress in my academic years and will benefit me in the future.

Yimeng Han (MSc Student)
Yimeng HanMsc Student

I did a period of research abroad at Leo Ríos’ lab. The whole group made me feel like I was at home during the time I was there and they really valued me as a member of the team. They shared their knowledge in the best way posible and I had responsibilities from day one. Leo is not only a great scientist, he is an amazing leader.

 

 

Gabriela Mellado (visiting student)
Gabriela MelladoVisiting Student
Contact Us

We are open for collaborations

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean”. - Ryunosuke Satoro
Give Us a Shout