Abstract:

The field of synthetic biology has been profoundly transformed over the past two decades due to major advances in biotechnology. Notable instances of this seismic shift can be seen in DNA sequencing, where the cost for human whole genome sequencing (WGS) has dropped by ten million-fold in the past 20 years from nearly 3 billion USD in 2003 to less than 300 USD currently. For perspective, in the field of computer technology the effects of “Moore’s Law” has drove computation cost down by a thousand-fold in the past 20 years. Significant advances in technologies underpinning synthetic biology in recent years are transforming many major industries, and one remarkable example of synthetic biology driven transformation is the cosmetics and skincare industry. Historically, changes in skincare have been driven by changes in raw materials: from ancient plant-based concoctions to industrial-era chemicals in the twentieth century, and later to the concept of “cosmeceuticals” emerged in the U.S., integrating pharmaceutical benefits into cosmetics to meet the growing demand for anti-aging skincare products. Today, there’s an increasing demand for more potent cosmetics, alongside a growing voice for environmentally sustainable production. Traditional skincare product development often involves reformulating existing ingredients, which faces limitations in efficacy. Additionally, the reliance on chemical synthesis or natural extraction methods for production poses additional environmental cost due to the use of chemical reagents and significant energy consumption. Rapid advances in biotechnology enables us to overcome such efficacy and environmental limitations through direct synthesis of biomaterials that are safer and more cost-effective than their industrial chemical counterparts. Synthetic biology tools such as AI-assisted protein design and strain engineering are enabling the production of much more potent biomaterials at industrial scales, thus providing more effective and sustainable bioactive ingredients for skincare. For example, previously expensive and hard-to-obtain compounds such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and collagen are now produced at a fraction of the cost compared to the previous decade. In recent years, synthesized collagen has shown that it can be designed to be humanized to minimize adverse human immune reactions, thus greatly reducing allergy and other health risks of the end product. The incorporation of biomaterials that were once exclusive to expensive therapeutics into consumer skincare product is rapidly transforming the cosmetics industry by narrowing the gap between medical-grade treatment and consumer-grade anti-aging. This trend marks a significant leap toward more effective, safer, and environmentally sustainable cosmetics products. Ultimately, the advent of synthetic biology-based cosmetics is ushering in the transitioning from traditional industrial chemical-based cosmetics to a new era of “bio-cosmetics”.

Key words: synthetic biology, cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, bio-cosmetics, skin care, anti-aging, collagen, hyaluronic acid

摘要：

基因工程、生物计算、发酵工程等生物科技在过去20年中实现了前所未有的技术突破，推动诸多行业进入合成生物驱动的新纪元，而化妆品行业便是其中之一。根据历史规律，护肤方式的变革都源自“原材料”的迭代：远古人类已经会用植物制造最原始的护肤品，当农业社会发展到能对植物成分进行复配的时候，就产生了护肤驻颜的复方。工业革命之后，化工产业的发展催生了多种新型原材料，进而推动了化妆品的大规模工业化生产。而20世纪末，随着欧美制药的大发展，很多药用分子成为了护肤的原材料，催生了“药妆品”行业的发展，满足了人们对抗衰、美白等更多护肤功效的需求。如今，不断升级的护肤抗衰需求，需要更高效、更安全、更环保的新型“原材料”。生物科技使我们能够合成比传统化工材料更安全、更具成本效益的材料，人工合成透明质酸、角鲨烷、神经酰胺、天然植物活性成分等均是护肤领域的明星功效成分。近年来，合成生物学实现了飞速发展，人工智能蛋白质设计等新技术使更加复杂的生物材料实现了工业化量产。以重组人源化胶原蛋白为例，这一解决了医学领域重要问题的生物制剂，已经被用作护肤品原料。由此可见，合成生物学的技术外溢，正在缩小医学级治疗和消费级抗衰之间的差距，为护肤行业带来快速的升级。基于合成生物技术生产的护肤产品正在逐步摆脱传统化工产业，向生物科技进发，从“化妆品”逐渐向“生妆品”进化。“生妆品”的出现，标志着合成生物技术为护肤行业插上了翅膀，从此开启功效更强、更安全、更环保的护肤品行业新篇章。

关键词: 合成生物学, 化妆品, 药妆品, 生妆品, 护肤, 抗衰, 胶原蛋白, 透明质酸