Leading researchers working on synthetic biology and its applications gathered at the University of Edinburgh in May 2018 to discuss the latest challenges and opportunities in the field. In addition to the potential socio-economic benefits of synthetic biology, they also examined the ethics and security risks arising from the development of these technologies. Speakers from industry, academia and not-for-profit organizations presented their vision for the future of the field and provided guidance to funding and regulatory bodies to ensure that synthetic biology research is carried out responsibly and can realize its full potential. This report aims to capture the collective views and recommendations that emerged from the discussions that took place. The meeting was held under the Chatham House Rule (i.e., a private invite-only meeting where comments can be freely used but not attributed) to promote open discussion; the findings and quotes included in the report are therefore not attributed to individuals. The goal of the meeting was to identify research priorities and bottlenecks. It also provided the opportunity to discuss how best to manage risk and earn public acceptance of this emerging and disruptive technology. Synthetic Biology offers innovative approaches for engineering new biological systems or re-designing existing ones for useful purposes. It has been described as a disruptive technology at the heart of the so-called Bioeconomy, capable of delivering new solutions to global healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and environmental challenges. However, despite successes in the production of some high value chemicals and drugs, there is a perception that synthetic biology is still not yet delivering on its promise. Moreover, there are some concerns from governments that synthetic biology expands the pool of agents of concern, which increases the need to develop detection, identification and monitoring systems, and proactively build countermeasures against chemical and biological threats. The participation of representatives from various government organizations at this meeting is testament to their commitment to maintaining an active dialogue with the synthetic biology community. In this way, they aim to keep abreast of the changing nature of threats and provide the best advice to government about investment in science and technology and the introduction or amendment of regulatory processes. The cost of DNA sequencing and synthesis have decreased dramatically and we have access to more genetic information and more powerful genetic engineering capabilities than ever before. Critical investments in infrastructure are bearing fruit and, as is described below, synthetic biology is increasingly becoming, at least part of, the solution to many of our present and future needs in medicine, food and energy production, remediation, manufacturing, and national security. So what is the potential of synthetic biology and what challenges does it still face to realize this