📢 Calling all protein design enthusiasts! 🧬💻 Join us this summer for the annual competition to develop & apply computational methods for protein design. Winners will be determined by experiment! 🧪Register for our pilot event today: https://alignbio.org/the-tournament (More info👇)

[email protected]'s @TomKnightSynBio & @MicroByre's Sarah Richardson discuss what engineers need, what microbes want, and how to move the needle for synthetic biology.

[words by @thisischristina // illustrations by @SimonTHazelwood & Kiki Barchey-Robinson]

https://bit.ly/3z4n1sp

New virus detection methods during the COVID pandemic led to an increase in viral surveillance. "While some...regard this as fearmongering, information like this could be the key to containing any future pandemics," writes @LindsayBbent in @ConversationUS https://theconversation.com/covid-bird-flu-mpox-a-virologist-on-why-were-seeing-so-many-viruses-emerge-200485

A truly radical bio-industrial revolution will see the line between pastoral farmlands, biological foundries, and industrial factories completely blurred.

[written by @thisischristina & @NatsaiAudrey]
https://bit.ly/3Z7t6Pn

Biology doesn't respect borders – we need to take a global approach to biosecurity. Check out our #epidemictracker, an insightful tool for tracking emerging biological threats. https://www.epidemictracker.com/

Nice to see the leadership here ! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://twitter.com/meganjpalmer/status/1638568916376010753

I encourage you to read the whole report.

All together, it's clear that biotechnology offers our best chance to meet some of the most pressing challenges we face today -- and will have outsized geopolitical impact in the coming years. https://www.lawfareblog.com/programmable-biology-puts-biotech-geopolitical-agenda

Also, within the next 5 years, @NSF aims to sequence the genomes of one million microbial species and understand the function of at least 80% of the newly discovered genes.

This work will form the backbone for our bioeconomy, as described by Tara O'Toole. https://www.statnews.com/2023/02/22/needed-for-national-security-and-competitiveness-a-federal-biodata-infrastructure/

For example, in the next 5 years, @CommerceGov aspires to deploy synthetic biology to produce at least 25% of all active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for live-saving, small molecule drugs.

And, in the years that follow, to produce at least 30% of the U.S. chemical demand.

Today, the @WHOSTP has released "bold goals" to advance this vision, capturing input from Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, Health, and more.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/03/22/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-bold-goals-and-priorities-to-advance-american-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing/

The policy outlines priorities to apply the latest in biotechnology towards solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-advancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-innovation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american-bioeconomy/

Last September, leaders from national security, economy, science, and more gathered at the White House to launch a new policy to leverage synthetic biology for bio-manufacturing.

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We've also got a Meet the Grove event at 1 PM EST today too. You don't want to miss it!!

https://discord.gg/grove-beta

Exciting day for the #bioeconomy! @WHOSTP releases new report on “Bold Goals for U.S. Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing”. Let’s (boldly!) work together to make #biotechnology awesome for all! 🧬❤️🌎🌍🌏🚀https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/03/22/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-bold-goals-and-priorities-to-advance-american-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing/

Mentorship allows students to learn from the experiences of others and gain insights that they might not have otherwise.

Read what Michael has to say about the importance of mentorship for new iGEM teams.

Apply:
https://community.igem.org/projects/mentorship-program

#iGEM2023

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