Hi ,

Join us at SynBioBeta 2024: The Global Synthetic Biology Conference from May 6-9, 2024, right in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, San Jose. This is the most highly anticipated conference of the year! Act fast to take full advantage of our incredible Early Bird offer - register by October 27 and save $1,000 on your ticket.

Insights:

• Phages and Synthetic Biology Team Up to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance. “Phages are a robust, biocompatible nanomaterial that we can engineer differently. We’ve only just scratched the surface,” says Irene Chen, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UCLA.

Industry News:

• Genes, Jargon, and a Dash of AI: The STARVar Method of Making Sense of Rare Disease Diagnosis. In a world where the genetic underpinnings of rare diseases often remain shrouded in mystery, STARVar might just be the tool to illuminate the path.

• In a Win for Biosecurity, Aclid Secures $3.3M in Seed Funding. Aclid, a platform designed to automate security and compliance for the biotech industry, has just announced a successful seed financing round, raking in a whopping $3.3 million.

• Researchers Develop a Hybrid Approach for Efficient and Sustainable Bioprocess Engineering. An in silico model-based controller and an in-cell feedback controller complement each other’s limitations, thus offering an effective solution to the problem of Process-Model Mismatch.

• Phage Research Scores Big in Fight Against Drug Resistance with Funding Bump. Groundbreaking research gains momentum as scientists aim to bring bacteriophages to the commercial market, tackling veterinary disease and alleviating antimicrobial resistance pressures

• Cellares and BMS Are Pioneering the Next Wave in Cell Therapy With Expanded Agreement. As part of this expanded agreement, Cellares will optimize, automate, and tech-transfer the additional CAR-T cell therapy process onto its automated manufacturing platform, the Cell Shuttle.

• From Superfood to Super-healer: Spirulina Coatings Boost Wound Care. Researchers at Flinders University have achieved a significant milestone in wound care by utilizing plasma technology to transform Spirulina microalgae into ultrathin bioactive coatings.

Other news:

• Persephone Biosciences and Ginkgo Bioworks Complete Reusable Bacteroides Anaerobic Engineering Toolkit. (Press release)

• Zenfold Leverages Ginkgo Enzyme Services to Enable Veterinary Active Ingredient Development with Sustainable Biology (Press release)

• Monkey survives for two years after gene-edited pig-kidney transplant. A kidney transplanted from a genetically engineered miniature pig kept a monkey alive for more than two years—one of the most extended survival times for an interspecies organ transplant—according to a study from biotech firm eGenesis. (Nature News)

• What is a Foundry for Biology? A foundry is a physical place that is purpose-built to make biology easier to engineer. (Foundry Theory)

• Is Machine Learning the Language of Biology? Explore why biology is complex to grasp with math and why AI might help humans reach more profound levels of understanding. (Foundry Theory)

• Announcing Cohort 3 of the Longevity Biotech Fellowship! Join the revolution to end aging - and get to work building a future where death and decline are optional.

• Reusable Bacteroides Anaerobic Engineering Toolkit Completed with Persephone Biosciences (Ginkgo Bioworks)

• Lumen Bioscience awarded $16.2 million in DoD funding to advance LMN-201 through late-stage trials (Press release)

• The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) released the Screening Framework Guidance for Providers and Users of Synthetic Nucleic Acids aimed at reducing the risk that unauthorized individuals or people will exploit the application of nucleic acid synthesis technology with malicious intent. (HHS.gov)

• New proteins, better batteries: Scientists are using AI to speed up discoveries. AI, like the kind used to make images, is now being used to design synthetic proteins. Scientists say it radically sped up their research. (NPR)

• Antiverse and GlobalBio, Inc. extend collaboration to advance antibody cancer therapeutics (Cambridge Network)

• Give biotech a chance for the planet’s sake, EU lawmakers urged. Are climate risks being fully factored into the bloc's rigorous rules? (TechCrunch)

• Researchers develop renewable and biodegradable power sources using bacteria. Named Electric Skin, the project aimed to create a flexible battery with characteristics similar to a living membrane or "human skin." (Dezeen)

Regards,

John

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John Cumbers

CEO, SynBioBeta

Who's hiring?

• Analytical Scientist at Industrial Microbes (Alameda, CA)
  

• Research Associate, Molecular Biology & Strain Improvement at Checkerspot (Alameda, CA)

• Bioprocess Scientist at Peptobiotics (Singapore)