The 2022 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting will be hosted virtually on December 14, 2022 from 10:30am - 6:00pm (EST).
Watch the meeting recording here
The Synthetic Biology Consortium meets annually to facilitate important discussions focused on synthetic biology and cultivate a culture of synthetic biology research at the NIH. The 2022 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting will continue to facilitate networking and collaboration among synthetic biology investigators and NIH program directors. This year’s meeting will focus on control theory approaches to create robust synthetic biology technologies that are safe and predictable, especially in the context of human health. Prior to this meeting, the Synthetic Biology Consortium will also be hosting four (4) breakouts focused on specific topics within control theory. Please see the breakout topic descriptions below and register for these breakout sessions.
Breakout: Control Theory and Toolkits and Modeling
Time: November 18, 2022; 6:00pm - 8:00pm (EST) Watch the meeting recording here
Leads: Josh Leonard, Northwestern and Jermont Chen, NIBIB
Description: Development of engineered living systems for diverse application is increasingly enabled by the generation of well-characterized and reconfigurable “parts”, by computation modeling that facilitates both interpretation and design, and by importation of conceptual and analytical tools from mature technical disciplines such as control theory. In this breakout, we will consider state-of-the-art understanding, immediate opportunities, and long-term goals for catalyzing the next generation of synthetic biology research to enable biomedicine.
Breakout: Engineering Biology Capabilities and Bottlenecks
Time: November 30, 2022; 1:00pm - 4:00pm (EST) Watch the meeting recording here
Leads: Domitilla Del Vecchio, MIT and Tuba Fehr, NICHD
Description: How much has the field of synthetic biology progressed to predict genetic circuit behavior? How can we learn from biology to design more robust and reproducible engineered biological systems? What are the bottlenecks we need to overcome to make engineered cells for therapeutic purposes?
Breakout: Responses to the Pandemic and Opportunities for Synthetic Biology to Prepare and Recover from a Pandemic
Time: December 5, 2022; 3:00pm - 5:00pm (EST) Watch the meeting recording here
Leads: Katie Galloway, MIT and Brigitte Sanders, NIAID
Description: The development and application of synthetic vaccines has recently been developed and tested. How can we leverage synthetic biology for pandemic preparedness? How can we respond to emerging and acute pandemic challenges in the short-term? How do we develop synthetic biology for therapeutic applications? How can we use synthetic biology to recover and restore health outcomes following a pandemic? A discussion of strategies that can be deployed for challenges over different timescales from short-term to long-term to support health and recovery from a pandemic will be discussed.
Breakout: Scaling up Biocontrol Methods to Complex Biological Systems
Time: December 6, 2022; 12:00pm - 2:30pm (EST) Watch the meeting recording here
Leads: Marcella Gomez, UCSC and Eric Johnson, NCI
Description: Generating predictive models for biological systems has been a persistent barrier to the design of complex systems. Can robust control be achieved without a predictive mechanistic model? Challenges in monitoring biological response in real-time and effective timescales. Does the feedback computation need to be as fast as the fastest biological process being monitored?
Agenda: 2022 Virtual Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting
December 14, 2022; 10:30am - 6:00pm (EST)
| Time | Session |
| 10:20am - 10:30am | Meeting Opens: Welcome, Introduction, and Schedule of Events |
| 10:30am - 10:40am |
Welcoming Remarks Dinah Singer, NCI, Deputy Director for Scientific Strategy and Development |
| 10:40am - 11:00am |
Introduction to Control Theory and Synthetic Biology Domitilla Del Vecchio, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 11:00am - 11:45am |
Research Presentation and Breakout Summary: Engineering Biology Capabilities and Bottlenecks Domitilla Del Vecchio, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 11:45am - 12:30pm |
Research Presentation and Breakout Summary: Responses to the Pandemic and Opportunities for Synthetic Biology to Prepare and Recover from a Pandemic Katie Galloway, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 12:30pm - 12:45pm | Break |
| 12:45pm - 1:30pm |
Research Presentation and Breakout Summary: Control Theory and Toolkits and Modeling Josh Leonard, Northwestern University |
| 1:30pm - 2:15pm |
Research Presentation and Breakout Summary: Scaling up Biocontrol Methods to Complex Biological Systems Marcella Gomez, UC Santa Cruz |
| 2:15pm - 2:20pm |
Closing Remarks David Rampulla, NIBIB, Division of Discovery Science and Technology (Bioengineering) |
| 2:20pm - 2:30pm | Introduction to Gather.Town |
| 2:30pm - 6:00pm |
Virtual Poster Session and Networking Session on Gather.Town Room 1: Virtual Poster Session* Poster Session A: 2:30pm - 4:00pm Poster Session B: 4:00pm - 5:30pm Room 2: Engage with NIH Program Staff Meet with NIH program staff from various Institutes/Centers as well as the NIBIB Training Division to discuss your research, grant mechanisms, and IC missions. Room 3: Virtual Networking Session |
*If you are interested in presenting a poster during the virtual poster session, please submit your poster abstract for approval by November 21st to nihsynbio@mail.nih.gov. You will be notified of your poster's acceptance via email by November 28th, at which time you may also indicate your preferred presentation window (2:30pm - 4:00pm or 4:00pm - 5:30pm). The poster acceptance email will also provide additional instructions for formatting/re-sizing your poster for the virtual session.
2021
2021 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting Summary
2021 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting Videos
2021 NIH Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting – Day One:
2021 NIH Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting – Trainee Grant/Technical Writing Session:
2021 NIH Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting – Day Two:
2021 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting Agenda
*Please note that all agenda times and sessions are tentative and are subject to change from the meeting organizers.
Day 1: November 4, 2021 (all times are Eastern Daylight Time)
Time |
Session |
|
|
11:00am - 11:15am |
Welcoming Remarks Dave Rampulla, NIBIB, Division of Discovery Science and Technology (Bioengineering) |
|
|
11:15am - 12:45pm |
Parallel Sessions | |
|
Collaborative Approaches to Engineer Biology for Cancer Applications - Principal Investigators Discussion of awarded projects and consortium connections followed by interactive Q&A session with panel speakers. Moderator: Michelle Berny-Lang, NCI, Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives Presentations: AND-gated Synthetic Biomarkers for Early Detection of Liver Metastasis, Gabriel Kwong, Georgia Institute of Technology Synthetic circuits that drive infiltration of therapeutic T cells into immunologically cold tumors, Wendell Lim, University of California, San Francisco Personalization and Failure Testing of Dual Switch Gene Drives in Lung Cancer, Justin Pritchard, Pennsylvania State University Immunotherapy via engineered therapeutic programs in tumors using RNA, Darrell Irvine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Precise tumor targeting with logic CAR circuits, Wilson Wong, Boston University Engineering Native E. coli to Detect, Report, and Treat Colorectal Cancer, Amir Zarrinpar, University of California, San Diego |
Grant/Technical Writing Session - Trainees Discussion of T's, K's, and F's and how these are different from other research grants followed by interactive Q&A session with panel speakers. Manana Sukhareva, NIBIB, Office of Scientific Review Leslie Frieden, NIDCR, Research Training & Career Development Branch |
|
|
12:45pm - 1:00 pm |
Break | |
|
1:00pm - 1:45pm |
Synthetic Biology at the NIH: Overview Brief presentations from NIH ICs with interest in synthetic biology. 1. NIBIB
2. NCCIH
3. NCI
4. NHGRI
5. NHLBI
6. NIA
7. NIAID
8. NICHD
9. NIGMS
10. BRAIN
|
|
|
1:45pm - 2:00pm |
Break | |
|
2:00pm - 3:00pm |
NIH IC "Office Hours" Talk with Program Officers about your research, grant mechanisms, and IC missions. 1. NIBIB
2. NCCIH
3. NCI
4. NHGRI
5. NHLBI
6. NIA
7. NIAID
8. NICHD
9. NIGMS
10. BRAIN
|
|
Day 2: November 5, 2021 (all times are Eastern Daylight Time)
Time |
Session |
|
11:00am - 11:15am |
Welcoming Remarks Michelle Berny-Lang, NCI, Center for Strategic Scientific Initiatives |
|
11:15am - 12:00pm |
Keynote: Designing Intelligent Cell and Gene Therapies Tim Lu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Gary Lee, Senti Biosciences |
|
12:00pm - 12:15pm |
Break |
|
12:15pm - 1:00pm |
Synthetic Biology Consortium Showcase: Part I Moderator: Nichole Daringer, Rowan University |
| Engineered cells for in situ synthesis of therapeutic proteins, Parijat Bhatnagar, SRI International | |
| Engineering cell-based therapies that sense and modulate the tumor microenvironment, Joshua Leonard, Northwestern University | |
| Advancing therapeutics by reprogramming cells to direct cell fate outcomes, Tara Deans, The University of Utah | |
| Q&A Panel | |
|
1:00pm - 1:45pm |
Synthetic Biology Consortium Showcase: Part II Moderator: Jiahe Li, Northeastern University |
| Regulated Microbial Production of DOPA, Andrew Ellington, University of Texas at Austin | |
| Predicting and controlling the human gut microbiome, Ophelia Venturelli, University of Wisconsin-Madison | |
| Engineering bacteria for cancer therapy, Tal Danino, Columbia University | |
| Q&A Panel | |
|
1:45pm - 2:00pm |
Break |
|
2:00pm - 2:45pm |
Keynote: FDA's Role in Biological Product Review and Development Karen Elkins, FDA, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Carolyn Yong, FDA, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research |
|
2:45pm - 3:00pm |
Closing Remarks Dave Rampulla, NIBIB, Division of Discovery Science and Technology (Bioengineering) |
2019
Agenda 2019
Day 1: October 28, 2019
|
Time |
Session |
Room Assignment |
|||
|
8:00am - 8:40am |
Registration |
Lower Level Lobby | |||
|
8:40am - 9:00am |
Welcoming Remarks Bruce Tromberg, NIBIB Institute Director |
Room E1/E2 | |||
|
9:00am - 9:45am |
Keynote Speaker Challenges and Opportunities for Mammalian Synthetic Biology Ron Weiss, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Room E1/E2 | |||
|
Part 1: 9:45am - 10:45am
Break: 10:45am - 11:00am
Part 2: 11:00am - 12:00pm |
Breakout Session I
Embryogenesis & Morphogenesis Room C1/C2 Moderator: Ahmad Khalil, Boston University NIH Program Officer(s): Mahua Mukhopadhyay, (NICHD) & Tuba Fehr (NICHD) |
Natural Products Room E1/E2
Moderator: Mary Dunlop, Boston University NIH Program Officer(s): Craig Hopp (NCCIH)
|
Vaccine Development Room G1/G2
Moderator: Julius Lucks, Northwestern University NIH Program Officer(s): Brigitte Sanders (NIAID) & Karen Lacourciere (NIAID)
|
Immunotherapy Room F1/F2
Moderator: Josh Leonard, Northwestern University NIH Program Officer(s): Kevin Howcroft (NCI)
|
*Please see room assignments under breakout session topic |
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Networking Lunch (Optional) | Room A/B | |||
|
1:00pm - 2:30pm |
Grant/Technical Writing Session - Principal Investigators Room E1/E2 Presentation: Discussion of different funding mechanisms (R01s, R03s, and R21s), application process, and peer-reviewed process Craig Giroux, NIH Scientific Review OfficerPanel Discussion: Interactive Q&A session with panel speakers Craig Giroux, NIH Scientific Review OfficerJosh Leonard, Northwestern UniversityDavid Rampulla, NIBIB Program Director |
Grant/Technical Writing Session - Trainees Room F1/F2 Presentation: Discussion of T's, K's, and F's and how these are different from other research grants Manana Sukhareva, NIBIB Director, Office of Scientific ReviewTiffani Bailey Lash, NIBIB Program DirectorPanel Discussion: Interactive Q&A session with panel speakers Manana Sukhareva, NIBIB Director, Office of Scientific ReviewTiffani Bailey Lash, NIBIB Program Director |
*Please see room assignments under breakout session topic |
||
|
2:30pm - 3:00pm |
Break |
Lobby | |||
|
3:00pm - 5:00pm |
Poster Session |
Atrium | |||
Day 2: October 29, 2019
|
Time |
Session |
Room Assignment |
||||
|
8:00am - 8:30am |
Registration |
Lower Level Lobby | ||||
|
8:30am - 8:40am |
Welcoming Remarks David Rampulla, NIBIB Program Director |
Room E1/E2 | ||||
|
Part 1: 8:40am - 9:40am
Break: 9:40am - 10:00am
Part 2: 10:00am - 11:00am |
Breakout Session II
Embryogenesis & Morphogenesis Room C1/C2 Moderator: Tara Deans, University of Utah NIH Program Officer(s): Mahua Mukhopadhyay (NICHD) & Tuba Fehr (NICHD)
|
Natural Products Room E1/E2
Moderator: Mary Dunlop, Boston University NIH Program Officer(s): Craig Hopp (NCCIH) |
Vaccine Development Room G1/G2
Moderator: Julius Lucks, Northwestern University NIH Program Officer(s): Brigitte Sanders (NIAID) & Karen Lacourciere (NIAID)
|
Immunotherapy Room F1/F2
Moderator: Josh Leonard, Northwestern University NIH Program Officer(s): Anthony Welch (NCI)
|
*Please see room assignments under breakout session topic |
|
|
11:00am - 11:30am |
Break and Breakout Summary Preparation |
Lobby | ||||
|
11:30am - 12:15pm |
Breakout Readout |
Room E1/E2 | ||||
|
12:15pm - 1:15pm |
Networking Lunch (Optional) |
Room A/B | ||||
| 1:15pm - 2:00pm |
Synthetic Biology at the NIH: Overview Brief presentations from NIH ICs with interest in Synthetic Biology Michelle Bond, NIGMS Program DirectorCraig Hopp, NCCIH Deputy Director, Division of Extramural ResearchJerry Li, NCI Program DirectorMahua Mukhopadhyay, NICHD Program OfficerDavid Rampulla, NIBIB Program DirectorBrigitte Sanders, NIAID Health Scientist AdministratorMichael Smith, NHGRI Program Director |
Room E1/E2 | ||||
|
2:00pm - 2:15pm |
Break |
Lobby | ||||
| 2:15pm - 3:15pm |
IC Roundtable Talk with NIH Program Officers about your research, grant mechanisms, and IC missions |
Room E1/E2: NIBIB and NIGMS
Room G1/G2: NCI and NIAID
Room C1/C2: NCCIH and NICHD |
||||
| 3:15pm - 3:30pm |
Closing Remarks Josh Leonard, Northwestern University |
Room E1/E2 | ||||
Important Documents:
Logistics 2019
Hotel Information
There is a room block reserved for the 2019 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. Here's the link to reserve under the block. Alternatively, you are welcome to reserve a room at the Hyatt at a non-discounted rate or reserve a room at other local hotels such as the Bethesda Marriott, The Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Bethesda, the American Inn of Bethesda, or the Hilton Garden Inn of Bethesda
The Hyatt Regency Bethesda is located next to the Bethesda Metro Station on the Metro Red Line. The 2019 SBC Meeting venue at the NIH Main Campus is one metro stop (Medical Center Metro Station on the Red Line) or a 15-minute walk away. Click here for a map of the DC metro system.
Meal Information
You may either purchase your lunch from the Natcher Conference Center Cafeteria or you can pre-order a lunch box delivered to the conference venue. An email will be sent out to attendees containing information regarding ordering lunch closer to the meeting date. Lunch will be delivered to the Natcher Building Auditorium at 11:30am on Monday, October 28th, and at 11:30am on Tuesday, October 29th. We highly recommend that participants pre-order and pre-pay for a box lunch so that there is ample time for discussion and networking. Instructions to follow soon.
Orders must be received by 4pm. EDT Thursday, October 24th.
If you're looking for alternate food options, click here for a detailed list of all the restaurants in the Bethesda, MD area.
Posters
Posters should be at most 4 ft x 4 ft in size.
Campus / Local Information
This meeting will be held in the William H. Natcher Building / Building 45 on the NIH main campus in Bethesda, MD.
Room: Ruth L. Kirschstein Auditorium (presentations); Atrium (posters)
Please allow adequate time to get to the NIH main campus and to get through security at the NIH Gateway Center Entrance. You will need to state the purpose of the visit and obtain a visitor’s badge, so please bring a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, green card, etc.). Please allow 20-30 minutes for taxis, Uber, or Lyft to arrive and ask to be picked up at the MEDICAL CENTER METRO STATION.