Top Down vs Bottom Up: When Does Designing Novel Biology Make the Biggest Impact?

There are two fundamental approaches to engineering biology: top-down and bottom-up. In a top-down approach, we can engineer well-known organisms like E.coli and yeast to perform new functions. But we are also making progress on a bottom-up approach—designing novel cells from scratch. Creating synthetic cells can overcome many of the limitations of standard biomanufacturing organisms. But when is this more labor-intensive approach most valuable? What kinds of molecules can we make with minor modifications and which require entirely new systems of cellular production? How does leveraging novel organisms affect a company’s costs and scale-up roadmap and how can companies take advantage of new expertise in the field?

Confirmed speakers:

• Delphine Demeestere, PhD, MBA, Director, External Innovation at Lonza
• Céline Schiff-Deb, Head of Biotechnology at Mista
• Nicholas Brideau, SVP of R&D at Debut
• Noah Helman, Founder and CEO at i-Microbes
• Moderator: Maya Skubatch, Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

About the conference: Join us for an unparalleled 3-day summit delving into synthetic biology. Explore why the costs of reading, writing, and editing DNA are plummeting, while speed and accessibility soar. Gain insights into cutting-edge medical advancements such as cell therapies, vaccines, and living medicines. Discover how companies are harnessing biology to produce bio-based jet fuel, textiles, concrete, and other chemicals and materials. Engage with trailblazing entrepreneurs crafting innovative foods, crops, and fragrances. Join us to see the potential applications of these technologies in shaping sustainable manufacturing ecosystems.

Wilson Sonsini is proud to co-sponsor the Synbiobeta 2023 conference with Mayfield.