Design. Build. Test.Learn.

We engineer cell-free expression systems and synthetic cells at Cal Poly. Undergraduate researchers lead the work, from first design to final result.

Explore our research Join the lab

Members of the Oza Lab smiling for a photo among shelves of reagents and benchtop equipment, wearing safety glasses, one giving two thumbs up — **Back:** Maia Lambson, Grace Montgomery, Logan Bizzle, Sydney Ligon, Clara Lillie, Ella MooneyFront: Dean Phil Bailey, Sunayana Nguyen

Learn by doing

Undergraduate-driven research.

Our research is driven primarily by undergraduate students, learning through hands-on work in synthetic biology. Students design experiments, build and test their own systems, and present what they learn.

Meet the team

Research

What we work on

Three connected directions, each carried forward by undergraduate researchers.

Cell-free expression

We develop E. coli-based cell-free protein synthesis into a fast, robust, and accessible platform, from simpler extract preparation and longer shelf life to new applications.

Synthetic cells

We build cell-like systems from the bottom up, encapsulating cell-free machinery in lipid vesicles and engineering the energy systems that keep them running.

Education & CUREs

We turn research tools into teaching tools, from the open-source Genetic Code Kit to Engineering Synthetic Cells, a course-based undergraduate research experience.

Publications

Recent work

All publications

2026
Modular Cell-Free Extract Mixing Enables Soluble, Active Biomanufacturing of Difficult-to-Express and Aggregation-Prone Proteins
L. Firmansyah, A. Delmundo, and J. P. Oza. bioRxiv preprint.
2026
Research Project Compass: A Visual Framework for Strategic Research Planning
J. Oza. OSF Preprints.
2024
Cell-Free Gene Expression
P. E. J. Smith, J. L. Dopp, N. F. Reuel, and J. P. Oza. Handbook of Molecular Biotechnology.
2023
Development of Solid-State Storage for Cell-Free Expression Systems
A. W. Brookwell, J. L. Gonzalez, A. W. Martinez, and J. P. Oza. ACS Synthetic Biology.

Get involved

Work with us!

We welcome curious students and collaborators who want to build biology together.

For students

Explore undergraduate research opportunities in synthetic biology. No prior lab experience is required to start a conversation.

Get involved

For collaborators

Connect with us around shared questions and complementary expertise in cell-free systems and synthetic cells.

Start a conversation