182. SynBioBeta 2026 Recap, It's Biologist Approved

Karl and Erum are back from SynBio Beta 2026 in San Jose,  and they brought home an Impact Award. In this special recap episode, they break down the biggest moments from the conference: Neon's audacious plan to engineer chicken eggs as bioreactors, P&G's push into bio ceramides with their Native brand, Twist Bioscience's expansion from DNA synthesis into proteins, and Anthropic's deepening footprint in pharma through its acquisition of Coefficient Bio and partnership with Eli Lilly. They cover panels on the dark proteome, engineered longevity, bio-based colors replacing synthetic dyes, programmable nutrition, and the future of alternative meat,  plus a standing-room-only session on bio-literacy featuring Drew Endy. Along the way, they share stories from the hallways, highlight emerging founders in DNA data storage and space biotech, recap Chef Pierre Thiam's fonio-fueled dinner, and reflect on why strengthening relationships across the bioeconomy matters more than ever.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/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapters:(00:00:00) - Grow Everything Wins the SynBio Beta 2026 Impact Award(00:04:30) - Conference Highlights, Listener Meetups & Walking the Exhibit Hall(00:08:15) - Cellular Intelligence, BioBrain AI & Neon's Chicken Egg Bioreactor(00:13:00) - P&G's Bio Ceramides, Twist Bioscience & the Everyday Bio Panel(00:19:30) - Engineered Longevity: Gene Therapy, Matter Bio & Measuring Aging(00:22:30) - AI Meets Pharma: Anthropic, Eli Lilly's Tune Lab & Startup Alliances(00:29:00) - Bruce Friedrich on the Future of Alternative Meat(00:32:00) - Programming Nutrition: When Snacking Meets Medicine(00:36:15) - Bio-Literacy with Drew Endy & the Teaching Disorder(00:42:00) - Panel Recaps: Dark Proteome, Bio Colors, Enzymes & Chef Pierre ThiamLinks and Resources:Links and Resources DocumentTopics Covered:fungi pigments, bio-based colorants, fungal dyes, natural pigments, sustainable color, food colorants, synthetic dyes alternatives, antioxidant pigments, food and beverage, clean ingredientsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media