Safeguarding DNA synthesis
A free, cryptographically secure, and developer-friendly API for universal DNA synthesis screening
Why screen DNA synthesis?
Custom DNA is essential to biotechnology - and a healthy, sustainable future. But in the wrong hands, it could do great harm. Only authorized researchers working in safe facilties should be able to obtain DNA that can be used to build deadly pathogens like the virus responsible for the 1918 influenza pandemic, let alone novel pandemic-capable viruses that scientists will identify in the future.
What is SecureDNA?
SecureDNA is a free screening platform that was developed to safeguard DNA synthesis everywhere. Designed to keep customer data secure, it uses a cryptographically secure algorithm that checks very short DNA subsequences from orders to see if they match known hazards or functional variants of hazards. That means extremists can't even laboriously assemble genes from short oligonucleotides or incorporate lots of mutations to evade screening.
Who we are
The SecureDNA team is composed of academic life scientists and cryptographers, policy analysts, information security specialists, and software engineers from many nations. They came together in 2019 to build a system capable of secure and universal DNA synthesis screening that would be suitable for stepwise or complete implementation by industry stakeholders.
Supports legitimate research
Screening takes seconds and draws on existing biosafety approvals, helping new cures arrive faster
Guard against new hazards
An up-to-date database of hazards limits access to new pandemic-capable viruses as soon as they're identified
Trustworthy data protection
A transparent open-source implementation designed by world-leading cryptographers keeps customer data uninterpretable