Hi ,

Were you unable to attend SynBioBeta 2024? Were you there and missed a talk because of all the networking you were doing? Don’t worry, we got ya covered! Starting today, we are beginning to release some of the content from the conference! To view it, you only need to sign up for a SynBioBeta account. Don’t worry, it's fast and free! Once you have created your account and logged in, you’ll be able to access all of the great conference content we post, just like the videos below: 

Programming Human Cells: The Next Frontier of SynBio for Human Health

What gives a cell its identity? Can it be changed? The traditional developmental biology perspective assumes that cells are defined by their (epigenetic) history. Now, we can see that cell identity is controlled by transcription factors, which can be programmed with deterministic accuracy—that is, we can program cells to become specific types at specific stages. This new paradigm, combined with our ability to read, write, and execute genetic code, opens unprecedented opportunities for programming human cells and improving human health. Watch the video. (Image: John Cumbers, Nobel Laureate Thomas Südhof and bit.bio Founder Mark Kotter.)

Wolfram & Quake Live in San Jose: The AI + Bio Tour

This riveting fireside chat features two titans of science and technology, Stephen Wolfram, the creator of Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha, and Stephen Quake, a pioneering biophysicist and inventor. Moderated by NPR's distinguished science journalist Moira Gunn, this discussion examines the intersections of AI, computational technology, and biotechnology, exploring how these fields drive innovations that reshape our understanding of the world. This is a dynamic conversation filled with insightful reflections on current research trends, the future of scientific inquiry, and the ethical implications of technological advancements. Watch the video. (Image: Moria Gunn, Stephen Wolfram, and Stephen Quake.)

Conscious Convergence: Melding Mycology, Biotech, and the Philosophy of Interconnectedness

In his captivating presentation at the 2024 SynBioBeta Conference, Paul Stamets revealed the profound connection between natural systems and modern biotechnology, urging the recognition of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology as extensions of natural intelligence and biology. Highlighting his groundbreaking research on the Agarikon mushroom, Stamets showcased its extraordinary antiviral properties and potential to revolutionize vaccine efficacy without adverse effects. Watch the video. (Image: Martine Rothblatt and Paul Stamets at SynBioBeta 2024)

SynBioBeta 2025, the premier global event for bio-innovation, offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your company's vision and connect with the industry's brightest minds. Click here to learn more about SynBioBeta's flagship event, or contact Anissa Cooke directly.

Breaking News:

• AI Tool Enhances Cancer Therapy Response. Combining mRNA profiling with histopathology images, DeepPT revolutionizes personalized cancer medicine by significantly enhancing patient response rate.

Industry News:

• EvolutionaryScale Raises $142M and Unveils AI Model ESM3 to Transform Biology: This innovative model has already achieved a remarkable feat: the creation of a new Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), a process that would take 500 million years of natural evolution to occur.

• Lithuania Leading the Way in DNA Data Storage Innovation: Genomika, in collaboration with Kaunas University of Technology and other partners, is pioneering an autonomous DNA-based data archiving solution.

• Eli Lilly Collaborates with OpenAI to Discover Novel Antimicrobials for Drug-Resistant Pathogens: Through this collaboration, Eli Lilly and OpenAI aim to harness the power of generative AI to accelerate the discovery and development of new antimicrobial treatments, providing much-needed solutions to the escalating threat of AMR.

• TwoStep Therapeutics Launches with $6.5M Seed Funding to Develop Solid Tumor-Targeting Therapies. Founded by CEO Caitlyn Miller and Stanford professor-entrepreneurs Jennifer Cochran, Ronald Levy, and Nobel Laureate Carolyn Bertozzi.

• Earth Venture Capital Invests in Orbillion Bio to Scale Up Cultivated Meat Production: This funding round brings Orbillion’s total raised funds to $15 million. The investment will primarily support the startup’s efforts to achieve pre-commercial scale and bring its first product to market.

Linh Nguyen (Earth VC) and Patricia Bubner (Orbillion)

• A Holistic Approach to Teaching Synthetic Biology: Northwestern introduces a new teaching framework for synthetic biology, integrating multiple disciplines from the molecular to societal scale

• SNIPR Biome Secures Gates Foundation Funding to Combat Environmental Enteric Dysfunction in Pregnant Women: The grant aims to generate CRISPR-armed phages (CAPs) from SNIPR Biome’s extensive phage library, which possesses broad and robust antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.

• Enhancing Genetic Sensor Technology: A Leap Towards Precision and Versatility. Novel genetic sensors offer unprecedented precision and versatility, setting the stage for future biotechnological applications.

• New Genes Identified to Reduce Biofilm in Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Scientists found that stressing the cell wall of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could naturally reduce its biofilm, making it more susceptible to antibiotics.

Additional Industry News:

• Element Biosciences Fortifies its Executive Team with Experts in Artificial Intelligence and Product Development (Press release)

• The University of Texas at Austin Students are Winners of Biodesign Challenge 2024: 38 finalist teams presented projects at the intersection of art, design, and biotech at Parsons and MoMA. (Press release)

• With AI Tools, Scientists Can Crack the Code of Life: Google’s AI research lab DeepMind is steadily building knowledge of how genes and their products work inside the body—and how and why they sometimes go wrong. (Wired)

• Chinova Bioworks and Hawkins Watts Announce Exclusive Distribution Partnership: Chinova Bioworks Names Hawkins Watts as Exclusive Distributor for Chiber™ Mushroom Fiber Extract in Australia and New Zealand (Press release)

• ESM3 and Bridge RNA - What do they mean for synthetic biologists? Two new techniques dropped this week, and both immediately garnered huge attention. But are they as promising as they seem? (ValleyDAO)

• Cellular Origins acquires ACTIA Platform IP to enhance automated cell therapy manufacturing (Cambridge Network) 

• Moderna Scores Federal Funding For mRNA Bird Flu Vaccine As Pandemic Fears Grow (Forbes)

• Report shows U.S. biotechs are wary of Chinese partnerships due to looming BIOSECURE Act (STAT)

• UPSIDE Foods initiates new round of layoffs as state lawmakers take aim at cultivated meat (AgFunder)

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Regards

Jeff

Jeffrey S. Buguliskis, PhD

Director of Content, SynBioBeta

Who's hiring?

• Head of Informatics at Colorifix (Norwich or Cambridge)

• Synthetic Biology Researcher – Developer (Term BioNet Fellow) at MITRE (US)

• Associate Account Executive at LatchBio (San Francisco, CA) 

• Head of Operations at NewLimit (South San Francisco, CA)

• Group Leader, Metabolism at NewLimit (South San Francisco, CA)