Innovations in Synthetic Biology & AI-Driven Biotech

Speaker: Goutami Banerjee, Ph.D., Fornia BioSolutions Inc. & BioMetis Technology Inc.

Nearing almost a decade, Fornia BioSolutions has been investigating  innovative techniques for modifying proteins and microbial strains to  swiftly advance bio-products from research and development to  commercialization. Throughout its evolution, Fornia has pioneered  distinctive synthetic biology methodologies, resulting in highly  efficient industrial enzyme variations with elevated protein levels that  surpass competitors in both performance and cost-effectiveness. These  superior industrial enzymes, enhanced and authenticated at the  laboratory level, have not only been successfully scaled up in pilot  facilities but have also made a significant impact in the global markets  across animal nutrition, food processing, textiles, paper and pulp, as  well as the cosmetic industries. To fortify Fornia’s platform further, a  collaboration was formed in 2021 with BioMetis Technology Inc., leading  to the development of innovative AI-driven platforms. These platforms  empower researchers to comprehensively navigate and manipulate the  intricate 3D protein landscape with unparalleled precision, quality, and  speed. By merging Fornia’s established EuphoticTM platform with  BioMetis’ exclusive AI-Directed Molecular Evolution (AIDMETM) platform,  researchers gain an immensely powerful tool to explore the boundless  potential of enzyme evolution, deciphering complex amino acid  interactions. Our technology not only delivers inventive and pragmatic  solutions for conventional bio-industrial and biocatalysis research  endeavors but also aims to tackle critical environmental challenges.  These challenges demand comprehensive enzyme engineering with  multifaceted property enhancements using advanced protein engineering  technologies such as ours. 

Goutami Banerjee is the Co-founder and Vice President of Business  Development at Fornia BioSolutions Inc. The company focuses on  discovering and improving bio-based products for improving everyday  life, using their proprietary AI, library design, and HTP screening  platforms. Goutami got her Ph.D. in Genetics and completed her  postdoctoral studies from Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center under  Michigan State University. During her postdoc, she established an  automated platform called “GENPLAT” which is recognized as a state of  art tool for evaluating enzyme cocktails in biomass degradation. Soon  after completing her postdoctoral research, Goutami joined Codexis Inc.,  as a scientist and led several projects to successful completion. In  2015 together with a small group of very talented scientists she started  her journey with Fornia. At Fornia, she was heavily focused on developing some of its core technologies and production platforms before  shifting to business development. Banerjee has over 20 years of experience working on strain development and protein chemistry. Her accolade includes more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, filed, and  granted patents. She is also an active reviewer for many scientific journals. In her free time, Goutami enjoys reading about world politics  and world history. 

Speaker: Yisheng Wu, Ph.D.,  Conagen, Inc. 

Synthetic biology, a multidisciplinary field combining biology and  engineering, involves the design and construction of biological systems  with novel functionalities. As this innovative discipline progresses, it  encounters challenges in transitioning from laboratory breakthroughs to  practical market applications. Conagen is a vertically integrated  synthetic biology company, boasting comprehensive capabilities that span  from strain engineering, pilot development, and full-scale production  to successful commercialization. This webinar, taking examples from some  of Conagen's pipelines, delves into the distinct challenges faced by  synthetic biology during this journey, addressing regulatory  complexities, scalability hurdles, and the assimilation of cutting-edge  technologies. 

Yisheng Wu, Ph.D., is the Vice President of Flavors and Fragrances at  Conagen, overseeing the company's Flavors and fragrances portfolio and  leading research in microbial strain engineering. Specializing in  synthetic biology, microbial genetic engineering, and metabolic  engineering, Dr. Wu optimizes microorganisms for the production of  flavor, fragrance, and cosmetics ingredients. Prior to current position,  she has served multiple roles at Conagen since 2013. As VP, Dr. Wu  drives innovation, ensuring Conagen remains a leader in delivering  sustainable and cutting-edge solutions to the flavors and fragrances  industries.