Programming Nature: How Entrepreneurs are Transforming Synthetic Biology into Real Dollars

Synthetic biology was once-upon-a-time reserved for big pharma and the multimillon dollar chemical manufacturing industry.  But today, startups and hackers in their garages and basements are using cloud based services and low cost labs, tools and equipment to manipulate organisms to produce materials and products of economic value.

Startups like Lygos are altering the DNA of yeast and e-coli to produce nylon, polyester and polypropylene for clothing.  Refactored Materials is transforming proteins to create materials that mimic spider silk.  All of this is possible because cloud-based services and low cost tools are enabling these companies to quickly and cheaply build an iterate through multiple DNA blueprints to discover the right formula to produce these materials.

Join us at the Stanford Graduate School of Business to learn:

• What are the tools and cloud services that enable synthetic biology for startups?

• What are the keys to low cost innovation that will democratize synthetic biology and create profitable ventures?

• How do movements like Biohacking and Biocurious help shape this new movement?

• Can backyard biologists have the same impact that the homebrew computer clubs did in the 1980s?

• Is there are Moore's law equivalent for this space and what do investors see as the next big opportunities?

All those who attend are entered into a drawing to win a complimentary and autographed copy of "Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves" by Professor George Church and Ed Regis.

A limited number of complimentary tickets are available to students.  Register at the website link.

Moderator: Megan Palmer, Deputy Director, Stanford University, Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC)

Panelists: Dan Widmaier, CEO, Refactored Materials; Nathan J. Hillson, Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Teselagen; Warren Hogarth, Partner, Sequoia Capital