The U.S. has been a world leader in the emerging field of engineering biology, producing more high-impact foundational and translational research – and commercial products – than any other nation. A new strategic direction for engineering biology is greatly needed, however, or the U.S. will risk falling behind in a field that it has pioneered.
On April 17th, 2015, emerging and established leaders of engineering biology will come together at the Alfred P Sloan Foundation in New York City to lay the groundwork for accelerating progress in this highly important field. The success of such an endeavor lies in the ability of the public, private, philanthropic and academic sectors to work together on research, industry collaboration, infrastructure, policy development, education, and public engagement, amongst other subjects, with a special emphasis on how to mobilize the resources the community needs to realize its potential.
Attendees will include scientific, business, governmental and philanthropic leaders with a strategic interest in the development of the field. Industry representatives will include instrument and tools providers (large and small), as well as start-up and mature companies engaged in the development of products for a variety of industry segments, including specialty chemicals, energy, agriculture and bioremediation.
The meeting is co-sponsored by the Alfred P Sloan Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, and Nancy J Kelley + Associates. A meeting report will be made available to the public shortly after the event at http://nancyjkelley.com/engineering-biology/.
For more information on synthetic biology, please read our reports in Industrial Biotechnology:
Engineering Biology to Address Global Problems: Synthetic Biology Markets, Needs, and Applications
The Promise and Challenge of Engineering Biology in the United States