139. Cultivating a Culture of Cultures? Genspace's Casey Lardner on Community Biotech

In this episode of Grow Everything, hosts Karl and Erum dive into the world of community biology with Dr. Casey Lardner, Executive Director of Genspace. They explore how this groundbreaking Brooklyn lab is reimagining who gets to participate in science — and how. From radical accessibility and inclusive education to the launch of Gotham Foundry, Casey shares how Genspace is cultivating a culture of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. This is a conversation about science as a shared resource, where artists, bioengineers, and everyday citizens all have a seat at the bench.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to Grow Everything: Where Bio Meets the World
• 00:00:25 - Guest Co-Host Sabriya Stukes Drops In — Backyard BBQ to Biotech
• 00:01:18 - What’s Buzzing in Biotech: Founders, VCs & Sound Baths
• 00:03:48 - Redefining Community: Beyond Buzzwords in Bio
• 00:06:38 - Genspace Unveiled: Brooklyn’s Portal to Public Science
• 00:10:41 - From Chemistry to Community: Casey’s Unexpected Path to Genspace
• 00:13:40 - Inside Genspace: Culture, Creativity, and the Curious
• 00:22:06 - Radical Access: Building Biotech for Everyone
• 00:28:55 - Live from Ilmar 2025: Big Ideas, Big Shifts
• 00:37:35 - What’s Next? Introducing Gotham Foundry
• 00:39:25 - Fueling Founders: How Genspace Sparks Startups
• 00:40:23 - Why NYC is the Place to Grow Bio Right Now
• 00:41:53 - Stay Curious: The Secret Ingredient in Science
• 00:43:26 - Can AI Help Democratize Biology? Genspace Thinks So
• 00:46:51 - Where Art Meets Genome: The Power of Story in Science
• 00:51:28 - Bold Visions: What the Future Looks Like at Genspace
• 00:55:49 - The Pulse of NYC Biotech: Reflections and Real Talk

Links and Resources:

• Genspace 
• OpenPlant Genspace - growing your own insulin?
• Asilomar Reports
• Gotham Foundry
• IndieBio
• NewLab 
• BioLabs
• BioFab Fair: Use promo code: GROW10 
• Story Collider
• Caveat 
• Facts Machine

Topics Covered: 

biotech, community biotech, community hub, biomaterials, bio-based ingredients, Genspace

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Email: groweverything@messaginglab.com

Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media