GitLife has announced the beta availability of CellRepo, our cloud-based version control system for biological engineering, with deployments now underway across the synthetic biology community.
CellRepo introduces a new infrastructure layer for biotechnology: version control for living systems. Inspired by software development practices, the platform enables researchers and companies to track, manage, and verify the complete history of engineered cell lines, from first design through to deployment.
At its core, CellRepo combines digital version control with a novel physical linkage to biology. Each engineered strain is connected to its digital record through unique DNA barcodes embedded in the genome, creating a permanent, auditable connection between physical cells and their full engineering history.
This approach addresses one of synthetic biology’s most critical challenges: the lack of reproducibility, traceability, and transparency in cell engineering workflows. By recording every modification as a structured “commit”, including genetic changes, protocols, metadata, and authorship, CellRepo provides a system of record for biological assets.
The beta programme marks a major step towards our broader mission: to make engineered biology traceable, trusted, and ultimately tradable, forming the foundation for a new bio-digital economy.
“Biology is becoming programmable, but it still lacks the infrastructure that software has relied on for decades,” said Beatrix Ellis, CEO of GitLife. “CellRepo brings version control to biology—creating traceable, trusted, and verifiable digital twins of engineered cells.”
With beta deployment now underway, CellRepo is being tested across a range of synthetic biology use cases, including microbial strain engineering, industrial biotechnology, and academic research. The platform supports collaborative workflows, branching and merging of biological designs, and secure sharing across teams and institutions, enabling researchers to build on prior work while maintaining clear IP and data lineage.
Our cartoon strip summarises what engineered biology looks like when work is truly traceable, reproducible, and easy to collaborate on (take a look here)
Key capabilities include:
- End-to-end version control of engineered strains and plasmids
- DNA barcode-based traceability, linking physical samples to digital records
- Immutable audit trails for compliance, safety, and IP protection
- Collaborative repositories for distributed R&D teams
- Searchable metadata and lineage tracking across projects
By integrating molecular biology, bioinformatics, and software infrastructure, CellRepo creates a single source of truth for engineered biology—unlocking more reliable research, faster innovation, and safer deployment of biotechnology.
Get started today, for free: https://www.cellrepo.com/users/sign_in