Hi ,

Biodesign, at its core, is the epitome of innovation, harnessing the myriad intricacies of biological systems and marrying them with design principles. In doing so, it challenges traditional boundaries and reshapes our understanding of how nature and man-made constructs can symbiotically evolve. 

By taking cues from the natural world, biodesign offers sustainable solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our age. Imagine living structures that can heal themselves, materials that breathe, and designs that evolve in response to environmental cues. From healthcare, where bespoke solutions can be bioengineered for individual needs, to urban planning, where structures mimic nature's adaptability, biodesign offers transformative, sustainable, and harmonious solutions.

News & Insights:

• Spider Silk is Woven Into the Future of Sustainability. Unraveling the threads of history and technology, explore how spider silk is spinning a new era of sustainable innovation and ecological harmony.

• Synthetic Biology and Materials Science Working Together to Redefine Entire Industries. A deep dive into how synthetic biology is disrupting the world of materials.

[DALL-E]

• ‘Living’ Concrete Paves the Way for More Sustainable Structures. Drexel University's "BioFiber" innovatively turns concrete fibers into living tissue with "concrete-healing" bacteria, promising longer-lasting structures and improved sustainability.

• Using Biomimicry to Harvest Water from Thin Air. Drawing inspiration from spiders and desert beetles, University of Waterloo researchers are using biomimicry to design groundbreaking surfaces to capture and convert atmospheric moisture into drinkable water

Sessions at SynBioBeta 2024:

Animation created by Drew Berry.

• The Molecular Engines of Metabolism. Drew Berry will present the molecular mechanisms that power your cells and tissues, converting food and air into the flow of chemical energy that makes your body be alive.  Exploiting the incredible advances in video game technology, vast molecular landscapes can be generated upon a foundation of scientific research. Enabling interactive exploration of dynamic molecular biology in ultra-high resolution detail, accessible and illuminating science education delivered via student mobile technology.

• Biotech Shapes Society, But How? Artists and Designers Show Us Overshadowing biotech’s impact on economies is the impact it will have on individuals and societies. Artists and designers often have better insight into social impacts than scientists and technologists. Meet the people who are using art and design to better understand what biotech means today and what it might mean in the future.
  

• The Role of Biodesign in the Next Gen Synbio. “I see a need in the ecosystem to train individuals who can do it all,” Jake Wintermute, Gingko’s biotech oracle, once said. In this talk, Jake lays out the multifaceted qualities and skills of a future synbio workforce and how the industry can start fostering the next generation now.
  

• The Young Turks of Biofashion. A new generation of founders is taking fashion materials by storm. They’ve already collaborated with leading fashion brands and designers like Stella McCartney, LVMH, and Peter Do (Creative Director of Helmut Lang)–often before raising a Series A. In this panel, a cadre of top founders share their insights on breaking into biotech and fashion.

Track Chair

Track Speakers

We hope you enjoyed this wrap-up newsletter and that you’ll join us in May at SynBioBeta 2024: The Global Synthetic Biology Conference.

Jeff Buguliskis, PhD

Director of Content