The US Department of Energy (DoE) is commissioning a new research platform designed to support the country’s bioeconomy goals. Powered by robots and artificial intelligence (AI), the system will enable scientists to examine bacteria and fungi much faster for potential use in producing chemicals, biomaterials, energy and fuels. The platform is also expected to contribute to microbial processes involved in extracting critical minerals from the ground.
The system, called the Anaerobic Microbial Phenotyping Platform (AMP2), was developed by biotechnology company Ginkgo Bioworks. According to the DoE, AMP2 stands out as one of the world’s largest autonomous-capable scientific systems for experimentation with anaerobic microorganisms. The agency emphasized that the platform will shorten the discovery and optimization of microbes from years to days and weeks.
Operational in January 2026
The platform has been installed at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Washington State. AMP2 is expected to become operational in January 2026 and will be available to DoE-affiliated researchers across the United States. The system will focus on analyzing the characteristics of microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments, known as anaerobic microorganisms.
PNNL noted that although bacteria and fungi have long been used in industry, many applications have historically been developed through trial and error. The laboratory also highlighted major knowledge gaps regarding how microbes behave under different growth conditions and environments, and how these behaviors can be directed to produce materials and outputs that benefit society.
A First Step Toward a Larger Facility
The DoE said AMP2 will serve as a prototype for a larger planned facility called the Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability (M2PC). Together, AMP2 and M2PC aim to establish the world’s largest autonomous microbial research infrastructure and strengthen US leadership in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and next-generation materials development. Groundbreaking for the M2PC facility is scheduled for next year, and it is expected to be ready for use by 2030. Funding for both projects is being provided by the DoE Office of Science.
Robots to Operate 24/7, AI to Guide Experiments
According to PNNL, the platform’s autonomous workflow includes robots performing round-the-clock tasks such as filling, loading and transporting sample containers. Beyond automation, the system will also enable the design of experiment sequences in which one study can automatically trigger the next, reducing the need for continuous human intervention.
AI-powered analytical tools will evaluate results as they emerge and rapidly adjust subsequent experimental steps. This approach is expected to enable researchers to conduct significantly more experiments than traditional methods allow, generating larger datasets and accelerating insights. System operation and maintenance will be handled by automation engineers.
Douglas Mans, Interim Director of Earth and Biological Sciences at PNNL, stated that understanding and controlling microbial behavior requires a level of experimental technology that has not been widely available. He noted that the modular automation and AI integration in AMP2 and M2PC will allow research at a scale and speed that current methods cannot achieve.
A Critical Role in Bioeconomy Growth
The DoE stated that the global bioeconomy is currently valued at more than $4 trillion and is expected to exceed $30 trillion over the next 30 years. Within this context, the agency described AMP2 as a critical infrastructure investment that could help strengthen US competitiveness in the rapidly expanding bioeconomy.
Scott Baker, the M2PC Capability Leader, added that scientists have explored only a small fraction of microbial life on Earth. He emphasized that building a broad, foundational understanding of microbial diversity and learning to predict and control microbial behavior will require both a large research community and one of the most advanced laboratories in the world.
Aligned with the Genesis Mission
The DoE also stated that these platforms support the US government’s Genesis Mission, announced in November. Genesis Mission aims to accelerate AI-driven research and discovery by leveraging federal scientific datasets, training scientific foundation models, and developing AI agents capable of testing new hypotheses, automating research workflows, and speeding up scientific breakthroughs.
