At SynBioBeta, entrepreneurs making plant-based foods and genetically engineered bacteria rallied to promote the idea that it's biology's century.
Ginkgo, for instance, is looking to spur a slew of new plant-based alternatives to meatin the lab, so that food companies can focus on things like texture and flavor. Founded by a group of MIT scientists, it uses genetic engineering to design and print new DNA for a range of organisms, including plants and bacteria.
"A lot of start-ups come to this conference, but I've also seen 'futures' teams here from big companies like Lululemon and Adidas," said Christina Agapakis, a scientist turned creative director at Ginkgo, which has raised more than $700 million in venture capital. "These are people who are looking ten years out for new materials, and for more renewable and biodegradable options.
Christina Agapakis, a synthetic biology writer with Ginkgo Bioworks, displaying the company's magazine.Ginkgo, one of the larger companies at the conference, set up its own espresso coffee booth and handed out a magazine called Grow to promote genetically modified organisms or GMOs.
"A lot of folks in our world aren't using the term 'GMO,' and instead will say it's something like 'gene modification' or 'CRISPR,' said Agapakis, referring to a technique that allows for specific and rapid modification of DNA in the genome. But Agapakis' company is embracing it. At last year's SynBioBeta, attendees took selfies in front of an "I heart GMO" sign. Agapakis is hoping that her company can help make GMOs distinct from companies like Monsanto, which spurred a reaction from activists for its use of
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