Hi ,

This week’s digest is brought to you by Opentrons, a company that believes that scientists should be able to focus on their science to accelerate discovery and innovation and that access to automation is a key tool to facilitate that. Their mission is to democratize access to laboratory robotics.

Keynote Announced!

At this year's conference, we are proud to announce that Dr. Mary Lou Jepsen, Founder of Openwater.Health will be presenting a talk entitled "The Problem is $522M and 13 Years: A New Approach" on the main stage, where she will discuss the challenges and solutions in developing novel therapeutic medical devices. She will highlight the substantial average cost ($522M) and lengthy time (13 years) required for regulatory approval of these devices, pointing out that 85% of the expense is attributed to device development rather than clinical trials. In response, Dr. Jepsen will introduce a revolutionary platform approach, enabling startups to achieve regulatory approvals in under three years with less than $10M in expenditure. It will be an exciting and vital discussion not to be missed.

Meet the Latest SynBioBeta Speakers!

New Sponsors & Exhibitors:

• Battelle is a global research and development organization committed to science and technology for the greater good.

• Raytheon BBN is comprised of three market-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Raytheon – working as one to answer the biggest questions and solve the hardest problems in aerospace and defense.

• Absci is a generative AI drug creation company on a mission to create better biologics for patients faster.

• BCG is a global consulting firm that partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges.

• Novonesis is a global company leading the era of biosolutions. By leveraging the power of microbiology with science, we transform the way the world produces, consumes, and lives.

• Biolog has the tools, services, and support to provide the microbial phenotypic characterization and polyphasic identification capabilities required to produce functionally relevant insights. 

• Rodon Biologics as a biotech CRO/CDMO have 20 years of activity engineering, producing, analyzing, characterizing and delivering recombinant protein as well as small molecules from engineered microorganisms.

• INTEGRA provides user friendly solutions for Liquid Handling and Media Preparation applications which serve the needs of our customers in research, diagnostics and quality control laboratories.

• H.E.L Group’s mission is to work together with chemistry, safety and biotechnology experts to engineer and unleash the full potential of the scientific community.

• Ganymede is the modern cloud data platform for the life sciences and manufacturing.

If you’d like to drive more business to your company, consider joining the exhibit hall floor by contacting Anissa Cooke.

Who just signed up for SynBioBeta?

• Ailurus Bio, Ansa Biotechnologies, DMC Biotechnologies, Elevate Bio, Fermelanta, Macnica, 

  Molecular Assemblies, NunaBio, Pow.bio, Recombia Biosciences, TurtleTree, UCSF Cell Design Institute, Werewool, Metaphore Biotechnologies, RootPath, Alphazyme, Cambium, BiologIC Technologies Limited, Nuclera, and Scripps Research Institute.

$80m Funding Opportunity from the National Science Foundation 

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) recently published $80 million in funding opportunities designed to accelerate key scientific areas that will enable new applications of importance to the U.S. bioeconomy. As part of the funding opportunities, the NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) is promoting two critical initiatives over the next three years. These programs were created to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems and AI-based approaches to protein design, enabling new applications in each area. In this SynBioBeta webinar, Waleed Nasser, PhD, Program Director at NSF’s TIP program, will outline the program's fundamental goals and, importantly, describe what investigators must do to qualify and take advantage of this funding opportunity. Moreover, Waleed will discuss the Ideas Lab process. Join us for this informative webinar!

Town Hall with George Church, David Baker, and Sarah Carter

Join Dr. George Church and Dr. David Baker for a SynBioBeta interactive Town Hall at the intersection of AI and protein design. Moderated by Dr. Sarah Carter, you’ll discover how generative AI is revolutionizing the field of biology, enabling unprecedented advancements in human health, planetary health, and beyond. But with great power comes great responsibility, and with great opportunities comes a set of risks that need to be balanced. Don't miss this opportunity to engage with the giants in the field. Register today.

Curated Networking Opportunities at SynBioBeta 2024:  (RSVP Required)

These exclusive events are designed to provide you with unmatched networking opportunities, cutting-edge insights, and unforgettable experiences. 

Tues, May 7

• Investors Luncheon (12:15-1:30 pm): Join us for an intimate gathering of investors and industry experts, where you'll gain invaluable insights and forge powerful connections.

Wed, May 8

• Startup & Investor Breakfast (7-8:15 am): Start your day with a dynamic networking session, bringing together trailblazing startups and visionary investors.

• Marketing & Messaging Breakfast (7-8:15 am): Dive into the world of effective communication and brand storytelling, learning from marketing masters in the field.

• CEO's Luncheon (12:15-1:30pm): Engage in thought-provoking discussions and share strategies with fellow CEOs driving the synthetic biology revolution.

Thurs, May 9

• Senior Tech Leadership Breakfast (7-8:15 am): Collaborate with senior technology leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges and opportunities in our industry.

• Early Stage Founders Breakfast (7-8:15 am): Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, share experiences, and gain valuable guidance to propel your startup forward.

• Women's Luncheon (12:15-1:30 pm): Celebrate the incredible women leading the charge in synthetic biology, fostering meaningful connections and empowering one another.

Insights (Exclusive Content):

• Halting Cellular Aging with Senotherapeutics: Longevity biotechs are developing a new class of anti-aging drugs to target senescent cells selectively.

• Can Biology Become the Main Source of Our Chemical Feedstocks? The chemical industry is an obvious target for impactful synbio research and innovation, but entering it is challenging and full of complex considerations. Can synthetic biology help reinvent it and provide sustainable alternatives for most chemical products on the market?

Industry News:

• Obsidian Therapeutics Secures $160.5M Series C Financing for Innovative Cell Therapy: The oversubscribed funding round propels the progress of OBX-115, a cutting-edge T-cell immunotherapy targeting treatment-resistant melanoma and NSCLC.

• Connecting the (Quantum) Dots for Inorganic Molecule Synthesis in Living Cells: Scientists at Nankai University have unveiled the synthesis of quantum dots within live cell nuclei, expanding the horizons of cellular nanotechnology.

• Sweet Revolution: Conagen and Sweegen's Game-Changing Partnership in Sugar Reduction. Harnessing biotechnology and taste modulation expertise, Conagen and Sweegen are paving the way for superior-tasting, healthier food and drink options.
  

Additional Industry News:

• Prozomix and Ginkgo Bioworks Collaborate on Next-Gen Enzyme Development for Sustainable API Manufacturing. (Press release)

• Ginkgo Bioworks and Novo Nordisk Expand Alliance to Collaborate Across R&D Value Chain: Ginkgo Bioworks, which is developing the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with global healthcare leader Novo Nordisk under a framework agreement that initially is contemplated to run over five years. (Press release)

• Hyosung TNC Invests $1 Billion in Future "Bio" Business: Hyosung TNC to establish a new Bio-BDO (Butanediol) 50,000-ton factory in Vietnam with plans to expand future plants to an annual output of 200,000 tons. The future plants will be powered by Geno. (Press release)

• The OECD is inviting participation in the Global Forum on Technology (GFTech) event “Building our Bio Future? Policy issues and opportunities for next generation biotechnologies” on 22 April 2024.

• Plastic-free vegan leather that dyes itself grown from bacteria: Researchers at Imperial College London have genetically engineered bacteria to grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself. (Imperial College)

• Cauldron raises $6.25m series A to scale continuous fermentation tech: Australian startup Cauldron has raised AUD9.5 million ($6.25 million) in a series A round led by Horizons Ventures to scale a manufacturing platform enabling its partners to produce high-value ingredients via precision fermentation more efficiently in a continuous process. (TechCrunch)

• Synthetic biology advances to generate $30B opportunity for Australia: A new report by CSIRO and Main Sequence Ventures charts Australia’s progress against ten recommendations put forward in the National Synthetic Biology Roadmap. (CSIRO)

• Reshape Biotech advances global collaboration with $20M Series A: Reshape Biotech is building the next generation of lab automation robots for biotech companies tackling the world’s biggest problems. (Tech.eu)

• Windfall Bio Raises $28 Million Series A to Scale Methane Capture & Transformation Solution (Press release)

• Agronomics Invests $10M in Liberation Labs to Advance its 600,000 L Precision Fermentation Facility (Vegconomist)

Who's hiring?

• Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack at Matterworks (Somerville, MA)

• Senior Data Engineer, Full Stack at Matterworks (Somerville, MA)

• Senior Scientist/Scientist at Matterworks (Somerville, MA)

• Associate Director, RNA Purification & Characterization at Ginkgo Bioworks (MA, United States)

• Staff Process Engineer at Twist Bioscience (South San Francisco, CA)