A research team led by POSTECH’s Professor Joongoo Lee reported a method to cut the cost of building reconstituted cell-free systems by 95%. The work describes an automated, modular approach for assembling these “test-tube” protein-production platforms that run outside living cells. Cell-free systems are increasingly used for rapid prototyping of proteins and enzymes, often reducing time and complexity associated with cell-based expression workflows. Cost reductions at the assembly level can improve scalability for both academic and industrial users. For biotech operations, lower unit costs and modular automation can accelerate iteration cycles in protein discovery, assay development, and early-stage manufacturing engineering.