A free, open-source, globally-available tool for synthesis screening
- Recognize potentially risky sequences, by screening for sequences of concern like toxins and pathogen genes
- Decide whether to trust customers with ordered sequences, by screening for legitimacy
Challenge: preserving access while preventing misuse
Accessible and affordable synthetic nucleic acids are essential for modern biotechnology. For nearly 20 years, industry leaders have recognized that some sequences, such as those that can reconstruct pathogen genomes or engineer dangerous agents, should only be sent to trusted customers.
In 2006, a Guardian journalist mail-ordered a modified fragment of smallpox DNA, unscreened, and had it delivered to his apartment. Nearly two decades later, it’s easier than ever to write and source synthetic nucleic acids.
Today, AI-designed proteins, enzymatic synthesis, automated biofoundries, and benchtop synthesizers have all expanded what’s possible, and what needs to be screened for. A 2025 Microsoft-led study in Science showed that most AI-generated toxin variants evaded existing screening tools.
Despite growing awareness and multi-sector acknowledgment, many orders still go unscreened at even a baseline level. The Common Mechanism addresses key challenges DNA providers face to enable accessible global screening:
As AI tools and laboratory automation increasingly democratize protein engineering, embedding biosecurity safeguards directly into experimental workflows becomes essential. Our collaboration with IBBIS demonstrates that open community science and rigorous biosecurity are not competing objectives. DR. TONG SI, Shenzhen institute of advanced technology (SIAT), COMMEC ADOPTER
Our Work: creating a common global baseline for synthesis screening
Commec is a free, open-source tool designed as a global baseline for nucleic acid synthesis screening, supporting users to:
- Start screening in compliance with national and international requirements across over 50 countries
- Boost resilience to AI-generated sequences, chimeric sequences, and subversion attempts
- Screen each sequence in under a second, tested at batch sizes ranging from 500 to 50,000 sequences
- Protect sensitive data with local screening that can be custom implemented to users’ existing workflows
The Common Mechanism exceeds benchmarks, including the Bronze Standard test, and has already been adopted by users including Dynegene and the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), alongside adopters in DNA storage and Biofoundry.
If you have any questions or would like assistance getting started, please get in touch with our team at screening@ibbis.bio.
Publications
- October 2025. Strengthening Nucleic Acid Biosecurity Screening Against Generative Protein Design Tools. Bruce J. Wittmann, Tessa Alexanian, Craig Bartling, Jacob Beal, Adam Clore, James Diggans, Kevin Flyangolts, Bryan T. Gemler, Tom Mitchell, Steven T. Murphy, Nicole E. Wheeler, and Eric Horvitz. Science. Available online.
- June 2025. Inter-tool analysis of a NIST dataset for assessing baseline nucleic acid sequence screening. Tyler S. Laird, Kevin Flyangolts, Craig Bartling, Bryan T. Gemler, Jacob Beal, Tom Mitchell, Steven T. Murphy, Jens Berlips, Leonard Foner, Ryan Doughty, Felix Quintana, Michael Nute, Todd J. Treangen, Gene Godbold, Krista Ternus, Tessa Alexanian, Nicole Wheeler, Samuel P. Forry. June 2025. Available online
- Preprint. Toward AI-Resilient Screening of Nucleic Acid Synthesis Orders: Process, Results, and Recommendations. Bruce J. Wittmann, Tessa Alexanian, Craig Bartling, Jacob Beal, Adam Clore, James Diggans, Kevin Flyangolts, Bryan T. Gemler, Tom Mitchell, Steven T. Murphy, Nicole Wheeler, Eric Horvitz. December 2024. Available on bioRxiv.
- May 2024. Progress and Prospects for a Nucleic Acid Screening Test Set. Nicole E. Wheeler, Craig Bartling, Sarah R. Carter, Adam Clore, James Diggans, Kevin Flyangolts, Bryan T. Gemler, Brittany Rife Magalis, and Jacob Beal. Applied Biosafety. Available online.
- April 2024. Overcoming Challenges to Developing a Common Global Baseline for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening. Nicole Wheeler, Sarah R. Carter, Tessa Alexanian, Christopher Isaac, Piers Millett, Jaime Yassif. Applied Biosafety. Available online (archive).
- February 2024. Verifying Legitimacy: Findings from the Customer Screening Working Group, 2020–2023. Tessa Alexanian, Sarah R. Carter. IBBIS White Paper. Available online.
- December 2023. Beyond Biosecurity by Taxonomic Lists. Piers Millett, Tessa Alexanian, Kathryn Brink, Sarah R. Carter, James Diggans, Megan J Palmer, Ryan Ritterson, Jonas Sandbrink, Nicole Wheeler. Health Security. Available online.
- May 2023. Benchtop DNA Synthesis Devices: Capabilities, Biosecurity Implications, and Governance. Sarah R. Carter, Jaime Yassif, Christopher Isaac. NTI | bio Report. Available online.
- January 2020. Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction: A Global Framework for Accessible, Safe and Secure DNA Synthesis. Elizabeth Cameron, Sarah R. Carter, Jacob Jordan, and Ryan Morhard. Report of the NTI-WEF Working Group on Preventing Illicit Gene Synthesis. Available online.
- October 2018. Universal Platform to Prevent Illicit Gene Synthesis. Patrick Boyle and Ryan Morhard. NTI Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Initiative Paper 1. Available online.