Workflows

Design–Build–Test–Learn loop archetypes with step-level timing, testing order, and rationale for how mechanism and technique choices come together.

Screening Funnel

Higher-level screening gates show how the workflow narrows candidate space before the detailed step-by-step timeline.

1

broad first-pass screen

Broad ScreenCell-Free

8 candidate designs -> 2 candidate designs

measurable signal in a rapid assay with acceptable background

design candidatefast expression or assayorder DNA fragment

Advance when: clear stimulated-versus-baseline separation in the first-pass assay

Bottleneck risk: DNA acquisition still dominates the calendar even in a fast screen

Enriches for: time to first signal, basic functional activity

Guards against: spending cloning time on clearly weak designs, early host-specific confounding

2

go or no-go decision

Decision GateCell-Based

2 shortlisted designs -> 1 shortlisted designs

whether the first-pass hit is strong enough to justify a slower host-context loop

analyze and decide

Advance when: only carry forward designs that justify a more realistic validation loop

Preserves downstream: downstream build capacity, host-context follow-up bandwidth

Loop Map

A schema-driven DBTL view that groups ordered workflow steps into design, build, test, and learn phases, then shows how the workflow loops back for the next iteration.

Design → Build → Test → Learn → repeat

Design

Define the construct, library, or study plan.

1 step
Time: 4hCost: $01 parallelizable
broad first-pass screen
1design candidate

Build

Make or prepare the material you will evaluate.

1 step
Time: ~3dCost: $100
broad first-pass screen
1order DNA fragment

Test

Run the assay or selection that produces signal.

1 step
Time: 3hCost: $501 parallelizable
broad first-pass screen
1fast expression or assay

Learn

Interpret the result and decide what to do next.

1 step
Time: 2hCost: $0
go or no-go decision
1analyze and decide

Phase Breakdown

A high-level view of how the workflow collapses into concrete lab or analysis steps.

Design

1 step

Define the construct, library, or study plan.

Time: 4hCost: $0
1design candidate

Build

1 step

Make or prepare the material you will evaluate.

Time: ~3dCost: $100
1order DNA fragment

Test

1 step

Run the assay or selection that produces signal.

Time: 3hCost: $50
1fast expression or assay

Learn

1 step

Interpret the result and decide what to do next.

Time: 2hCost: $0
1analyze and decide
Wall time~3dHands-on8.5hDirect cost$150
1
design candidatebroad first-pass screendesignparallelizable
4h$0
2
fast expression or assaybroad first-pass screenassayparallelizable
3h$50
3
order DNA fragmentbroad first-pass screendna acquisition
~3d$100
4
analyze and decidego or no-go decisiondecision
2h$0