News Digest #244 – A clash of tech titans, and the first Nobel for synthetic biology? Plus, meet Staph epidermidis (sponsored by Conagen)

Hi all,We are still coming off the high of last week’s SynBioBeta 2018, which started with a once-in-a-lifetime conversation among Steve Wozniak, George Church, and Eri Gentry. The inspiring and humorous conversation, recapped here by Aishani Aatresh, set the tone for the rest of the conference.

Last Wednesday, we wrote that Frances Arnold was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her pioneering work in self-directed enzyme evolution. Arnold is prominent within synthetic biology circles, so does this represent the first Nobel Prize for synthetic biology? PLOS Synbio asks the question.

Genetic modification of bacteria is moving beyond mass protein production in the lab toward fine-tuned protein production in living beings. This week, we take a look at how biotech company Azitra is using bioengineered S. epidermidis to not only target skin conditions such as eczema but also to strengthen and maintain healthy skin.

In case you missed it, Procter & Gamble launched its Receptor Incubator Challenge at SynBioBeta 2018, which seeks the best ideas and potential new collaborators for developing sustainable bio-materials. If you have promising technology for decomposable biopolymers, self-healing adhesives, or novel surface active materials, you could receive a challenge award with funding, mentoring, and scale-up support. Visit the P&G site for details or email receptorincubator.im@pg.com for more information.

Finally, check out Synthace's whitepaper on Computer Aided Biology and learn how biological research will be transformed by an emerging ecosystem of tools that augment human capabilities.Have a great week!John

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