Continuous Evolution

Accelerating evolution to solve user-defined problems

We build and apply orthogonal replication systems that uncouple the mutagenesis of target genes from host viability, enabling the continuous mutagenesis and evolution of target genes at a million-times the genomic mutation rate. We aim to apply these accelerated evolution systems to address a range of evolutionary problems, from addressing fundamental evolutionary questions to evolving solutions to real-world problems in health and sustainability.

Join us at the Generative Biology Institute, EIT Oxford, Oxford, UK

Selected Work

Key Papers

Nature Biotechnology, 2026

Highly mutagenic continuous evolution in E. coli using a Φ29-based orthogonal replication system

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bioRxiv, 2026

A portable orthogonal replication system enables continuous gene evolution near the biological speed limit

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Science, 2024

Establishing a synthetic orthogonal replication system enables accelerated evolution in E. coli

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