bio/acc Podcast George Church -- The Godfather of Synthetic Biology, CRISPR, and De-Extinction (Ep. 10)
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May 19, 2025 George Church, a pioneer of human genome sequencing and co-inventor of CRISPR, dives into the future of synthetic biology. He discusses groundbreaking innovations like multiplex gene editing and virus-proof cells. The conversation shifts to AI’s role in drug discovery and the lessons learned from 23andMe’s challenges. Church also reflects on strategies for improving human longevity and the rapid advancements in genome sequencing technologies, offering a glimpse into the ethical and economic implications of these revolutionary scientific developments.
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Multiplex Editing Powers Biology
- Multiplex gene editing allows making thousands of changes simultaneously, enabling virus-proof cells and transplantation-compatible pigs.
- Biology's modularity and AI integration create fault-tolerant, self-repairing systems more complex than human-engineered electronics.
Biology's Fault Tolerance and Scale
- Biological systems tolerate stochasticity through mechanisms like proofreading, enabling reproducibility despite inherent noise.
- Biology scales well and builds complex self-organizing systems requiring minimal micromanagement unlike engineered electronics.
SynBio Scalability and AI Fusion
- SynBio companies like Ginkgo face challenges, but large investments and flexible manufacturing show promise.
- Deep integration of AI across biotech startups drives synergy and efficiency in biology and medicine.