doi.bio/neb

New England Biolabs

New England Biolabs: A Leading Provider of Synthetic Biology Tools

Overview

New England Biolabs (NEB) is an American life sciences company, founded in 1974 by Harvard Medical School professor, Donald "Don" Comb. The company is a world leader in the production and supply of reagents for the life science industry, with a specific focus on supporting synthetic biology and next-generation sequencing.

History

NEB was established as a cooperative laboratory of experienced scientists, initially producing restriction enzymes on a commercial scale. Over the years, NEB has expanded its offerings to include a range of products and services that support genome editing, synthetic biology, and next-generation sequencing. The company has also developed several free research tools, including REBASE, InBASE, and Polbase.

Products and Services

NEB offers a wide range of products and services for synthetic biologists, including:

Enzymes: NEB produces 230 recombinant and 30 native restriction enzymes, as well as nicking enzymes and DNA methylases.
Cloning and Synthetic Biology: The NEBuilder HiFi DNA Assembly Cloning Kit and Master Mix enable one-step cloning and multiple DNA fragment assembly.
Nucleic Acid Purification: NEB provides purification kits for both DNA and RNA, including the Monarch Genomic DNA Purification Kit, which minimizes RNA contamination and allows for high-yield purification of large DNA fragments.
Library Prep Kits: NEB offers a range of library prep kits, such as the NEBNext Ultra II FS DNA library prep kit for next-generation sequencing and the NEBNext UltraExpress RNA Library Prep Kit for creating high-quality directional RNA libraries.
Genome Editing: In 2020, NEB signed an agreement granting the company rights to sell CRISPR/Cas9 tools and reagents for gene editing.
Research Tools: NEB provides free access to several research tools, including REBASE, a restriction enzyme database; Polbase, a polymerase database; and InBase, an intein database.

Facilities and Distribution

NEB's headquarters are located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA, with eight subsidiary offices worldwide, including in Singapore, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and Australia. The company also has distributors in South America, Australia, and other countries in Europe and Asia.

Social Responsibility and Sustainability

NEB is committed to environmental stewardship and has received ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management systems. The company actively promotes ecologically sound practices and strives for sustainability in its operations to protect natural resources.

Awards and Recognition

NEB has received recognition for its contributions to science, including the 2024 Passion in Science Awards, which honor those within the scientific community making a difference through mentorship, humanitarian efforts, environmental stewardship, and the arts.

Customer Support

NEB is dedicated to providing excellent customer support. As company policy, all scientists and some executives must work at least one day per month on the customer support telephone line, answering technical questions about the company's products.

Conclusion

New England Biolabs is a trusted and innovative provider of synthetic biology tools, with a rich history and a commitment to scientific advancement and sustainability. The company offers a comprehensive range of products and services that cater to the needs of synthetic biologists and life science researchers worldwide.