Explore every episode of the podcast The Climate Biotech Podcast

Professor Pam Silver from Harvard Medical School joins us as a founding figure and legend in synthetic biology whose scientific path led from pioneering work on nuclear localization to co-developing the revolutionary "bionic leaf"—a system that combines artificial catalysts with bacteria to convert sunlight and CO2 into fuels and compounds at efficiencies far exceeding natural photosynthesis.

Silver's perspective on synthetic biology's evolution from theoretical explorations to real-world applications is illuminating. "The only way we're going to solve the problems of the world with food and impending climate change is through engineering biology," she asserts. "Nature has solved many problems already, and the more we learn how nature solves them, we can implement that."

She doesn't shy away from controversial topics, proudly declaring herself "a full-on GMO believer" while acknowledging the ethical complexities of engineered deployments. Her approach exemplifies the powerful interface between human engineering and biological processes that characterizes her climate solutions work.

For aspiring biotechnologists, Silver offers wisdom distilled from decades at the forefront: "Be bold, take risks, but remain humble and respect nature." This balance of audacity and reverence captures her approach to reimagining biology as an engineering medium—one that might hold solutions to our most pressing planetary challenges.

Whether you're a scientist, entrepreneur, or simply curious about how biology might shape our climate future, this episode offers insights from someone who has helped define synthetic biology from its earliest days.

Send us a text

Sonja Salmon takes us on a fascinating journey through her 20-year quest to harness the power of enzymes and textiles to fight climate change. Her background in textile chemistry led to a deep understanding of natural polymers like cellulose and chitosan, which eventually connected to her fascination with enzymes during a 22-year career at the world's largest industrial enzyme company.

The heart of Salmon's innovation lies in immobilizing carbonic anhydrase. This remarkably fast enzyme converts carbon dioxide to bicarbonate, in this case onto textile surfaces. By coating cotton with chitosan and using reactive dye chemistry as a cross-linking agent, she creates a durable attachment that maintains the enzyme's activity while providing an ideal gas-liquid contact surface. This ingenious approach transforms ordinary fabric into a carbon capture device with minimal energy requirements.

What makes this approach so promising is its accessibility and scalability. The global textile manufacturing infrastructure already exists, and the materials involved are largely bio-derived and familiar to the industry. 

Beyond carbon capture, Salmon's collaborative work extends to nitrogenase, an enzyme that could potentially replace the carbon-intensive Haber-Bosch process responsible for 2% of global CO2 emissions. Her vision of conductive textiles delivering electrons to immobilized nitrogenase points to a future where our clothes might literally help save the planet.

Join us to discover how this innovative scientist is weaving together biology and fabric into powerful climate solutions, and why she believes so strongly that we can—and must—take action on climate change. Check out Textile Biocatalysis Research online or biocatncsuedu to learn more about Professor Salmon's groundbreaking work.

Send us a text

When Loren Looger walks into a room, he doesn't want recognition, he wants to make things that work. The creator of revolutionary, open-source tools that transformed how we visualize brain activity is increasingly turning his protein engineering expertise to formidable challenges in climate, including methane degradation. .

Methane sits at the heart of our climate crisis as a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Yet nature has evolved only a few enzyme scapable of breaking it down. Methane monooxygenase (MMO) is on eof these remarkable proteins existing in methanotrophs, specialized microbes that have evolved unique cellular structures specifically to process methane. Despite its discovery decades ago, MMO remains stubbornly mysterious, with scientists still uncertain about its basic biochemical requirements.

In this fascinating conversation, Looger describes how he's applying the same methodical approach that revolutionized neuroscience to this critical climate challenge. His project aims to create fluorescent biosensors that can reveal MMO's secrets—how it interacts with membranes, what metals it requires, and why it struggles to function when expressed in other organisms. The ultimate vision? Engineering plants that can express functional MMO, potentially transforming forests into methane-capturing systems.

What makes this story particularly compelling is Looger's journey—from a math-obsessed kid in Alabama who worked at NASA after school, to a biochemist who stumbled into neuroscience, to a climate biotechnologist driven by urgency. "We've got one last chance to save a planet where we can study neuroscience," he notes, explaining his pivot to climate work.

Throughout his career, Looger has championed a culture of scientific openness, freely sharing tools before publication—a philosophy he believes is essential for climate innovation. His approach reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful scientific contributions come not from flashy breakthroughs but from methodical improvements that make complex systems accessible to all researchers.

Ready to bring your expertise to climate challenges? Email Lauren directly—he welcomes collaborations from scientists willing to apply their skills to our planet's most pressing problems.

Send us a text

What happens when a structural biochemist turns his attention to mountains of rock? Dr. Sasha Milshteyn takes us on a remarkable journey from studying tiny molecular movements in proteins to revolutionizing how we extract copper from massive mine heaps.

The mining industry faces a critical challenge - we've depleted most easily-processed oxide copper ores, leaving behind harder-to-extract sulfides that typically yield just 30-50% recovery using conventional methods. This creates a significant bottleneck for the clean energy transition, which demands unprecedented quantities of copper. For decades, miners have attempted to improve extraction by growing iron and sulfur oxidizing microbes in labs and inoculating heaps with them, but these introduced microbes rarely thrive against established native communities.

Sasha's breakthrough insight came from recognizing that every ore heap already contains a complex ecosystem of extremophiles - acid-loving microbes that derive energy from "eating rock." Rather than fighting against these established communities by introducing foreign organisms, Transition Biomining analyzes the native microbiome and identifies what's limiting its performance. They then develop custom "prebiotics" that enhance the function of these specialized microbes, potentially boosting recovery by 25-30 percentage points.

What makes this approach particularly powerful is how it integrates with existing mining infrastructure. A medium-sized mine moves approximately 100,000 tons of rock daily - the equivalent of 1,000 train cars. By working within established processes rather than requiring entirely new systems, Transition offers a practical path forward for an industry traditionally, and understandably, resistant to change. 

Beyond mining, Sasha shares valuable insights for all scientists and entrepreneurs: understand what happens at scale before designing bench experiments, question assumptions in established protocols, and recognize how little we truly know about biological systems. 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amilshteyn/

Website: transition.bio

Send us a text

Mining has essentially been the same for 5,000 years, just now with bigger shovels. Imagine if we could drastically increase mining efficiency and output for both the environment and national security. That's exactly what Dr. Esteban Gazel, a Costa Rican-born geochemist, and Dr. Buz Barstow, a physicist-turned-synthetic biologist, are working on at Cornell University.

When these brilliant minds connected over rare earth elements and carbon storage, they realized that existing microorganisms could be engineered and optimized to transform how we extract critical minerals from the earth. Their groundbreaking research has already improved the microbe Gluconobacter's ability to extract rare earth elements by an astounding 1,200% compared to its natural capabilities. This biological approach operates at room temperature with minimal environmental impact, potentially transforming mining from a destructive industry into a sustainable process.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Each wind turbine requires five tons of copper and one ton of rare earth elements, materials that currently demand processing hundreds or thousands of tons of rock through energy-intensive methods. As we transition to clean energy, these demands will only increase, creating an urgent need for sustainable extraction approaches.

Their Microbe Mineral Atlas project aims to catalog how microorganisms interact with minerals, identifying biological systems that can dissolve rocks, generate acids, create chelators, and precipitate specific elements. Beyond metal extraction, they're exploring how microbes might accelerate natural carbon sequestration processes in minerals like olivine.

What makes their work so powerful is their complementary expertise – Gozel's deep knowledge of mineral thermodynamics paired with Barstow's synthetic biology innovations. Their vision goes beyond incremental improvements; they're reimagining mining entirely with processes that can efficiently extract multiple elements simultaneously, utilize low-grade deposits, and operate with minimal environmental impact.

Join us for this fascinating conversation about how the tiniest organisms on Earth might help solve some of our biggest resource challenges. Subscribe to the Climate Biotech Podcast to explore more groundbreaking solutions at the intersection of climate and biology.

Send us a text

What if we could reinvent photosynthesis itself? GigaCrop founder and CEO Chris Eiben has a mission to dramatically increase crop yields by redesigning one of biology's most fundamental processes.

With half of Earth's habitable land already dedicated to agriculture and growing demands for food, fiber, and materials, we face a critical choice: convert more natural landscapes to farmland or make existing farmland drastically more productive.

The problem lies with Rubisco, the enzyme at the heart of photosynthesis. Despite millions of years of evolution, Rubisco remains frustratingly inefficient - it's slow and frequently mistakes oxygen for carbon dioxide, forcing plants to waste energy correcting these errors. Rather than trying to improve Rubisco itself (a challenge that has consumed billions in research funding), GigaCrop is building entirely new biochemical pathways using faster enzymes that don't make these mistakes.

The potential impact is staggering. In full sunlight, plants receive more photons than they can use - the biochemical process of carbon conversion becomes the bottleneck. By addressing this fundamental limitation, GigaCrop could enable crops to produce significantly more yield on the same land, transforming agriculture while preserving natural ecosystems.

Connect with Chris if you're excited about plant engineering or bringing game-changing technologies to market.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-eiben/

Send us a text

The solution to plastic waste looks different depending on where you stand in the world. While Northern Hemisphere biotech approaches to plastic recycling focus on high-temperature enzymes designed to regenerate plastic monomers (which works when you produce lots of plastic), Cesar's lab has engineered a completely different solution. Starting with microorganisms from Antarctica, his team uses AI and deep learning to design enzymes that work efficiently at low temperatures - not to recycle plastic into more plastic, but to transform it into valuable fragrances and other products that actually have market demand in Latin America.

The conversation weaves between technical enzyme design challenges and broader themes of democratizing biotechnology across the Global South. During the COVID pandemic, when reagent shortages hit Latin America particularly hard, Cesar co-founded initiatives to produce essential molecular biology enzymes locally. This experience crystallized his vision of combining open science with practical innovation - making biotechnology tools accessible while simultaneously developing commercial applications.

Follow Cesar's work at the Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering ath the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. 

@cxarramirez

Send us a text

What if we could secure critical supply chains through bioengineering? What if the vaccines protecting millions worldwide didn't require harvesting 10,000 trees annually from Chilean mountains? Maria Astolfi is tackling this exact challenge through groundbreaking work with P450 enzymes.

Growing up surrounded by biodiversity shaped Maria's unique perspective on biotechnology. After co-founding the Amazon's first synthetic biology lab and working at Ginkgo Bioworks, she now conducts research in UC Berkeley's Jay Keasling laboratory. Her mission? Solving one of biomanufacturing's most persistent bottlenecks – engineering the notoriously difficult P450 enzymes that are crucial for producing complex natural products.

The stakes couldn't be higher. QS-21, a critical vaccine adjuvant, costs up to $200,000 per gram due to its complex extraction from Chilean trees. Beyond the environmental damage, this extractive approach creates volatile supply chains for essential medicines. Maria's innovative combination of machine learning and high-throughput robotics has already yielded a remarkable 3x improvement in enzyme activity – just the beginning of what's possible.

What makes Maria's vision truly transformative is how it reconnects biotechnology with biodiversity. By focusing first on this high-value target, she's creating infrastructure that could eventually transform production of countless natural products.

Listen to this episode for a glimpse into a future where advanced biotechnology and biodiversity protection go hand in hand.

00:00 Introduction to Vaccine Adjuvants and Climate Biotech
00:19 Welcome to the Climate Biotech Podcast
00:46 Meet Maria: From the Amazon to Biotech
01:50 Maria's Early Inspirations and Career Path
04:24 The Journey to Ginkgo Bioworks
10:49 Challenges and Innovations in Biomanufacturing
13:16 The Importance of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes
16:38 Scaling Sustainable Biomanufacturing
21:21 The Broader Impact of Biomanufacturing
25:25 Future Visions and Final Thoughts
33:33 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks

Send us a text

The global food system has a phosphorus problem that few people talk about. Unlike nitrogen, which cycles naturally through our atmosphere, phosphorus is mined from finite deposits and has no natural cycle. A massive 100-kilometer conveyor belt—visible from space—transports phosphate-rich rock from the Sahara Desert to ships waiting to distribute this critical resource worldwide. Any disruption to this supply chain would threaten global agriculture, yet when phosphorus runs off fields, it creates devastating algal blooms in lakes and rivers.

Ben Scott, Engineering Biology Platform Lead at the Global Institute for Food Security, is developing an elegant solution using protein engineering. His team is redesigning enzymes called phytases to unlock organic phosphorus already present in soil but unavailable to plants. Up to 80% of organic phosphorus exists as phytate molecules bound to metal ions, making them inaccessible. While natural phytases can break these bonds, they've evolved to work in acidic, warm environments—not the neutral, cooler conditions of agricultural soils.

Scott is combining protein engineering with automation and AI to create enzymes specifically tailored for field applications. His team uses high-throughput robotics to test thousands of enzyme variants across different conditions, generating quality data that feeds AI models to design better proteins. Through this, accomplishing twin goals — reducing our dependence on mined phosphate while preventing the environmental damage caused by phosphorus runoff — could be within reach.

The work exemplifies how synthetic biology can address climate and food security challenges through creative biological design. By moving beyond the limitations of natural enzymes to create proteins specifically tailored to agricultural needs, Scott's research points toward a more sustainable future for phosphorus management in global agriculture. 

Ben Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmscott/

Send us a text

Imagine proteins engineered to seek out and bind toxic heavy metals, cleaning up contaminated sites and potentially treating metal poisoning in humans. 

In this episode, Duke University professor and entrepreneur Pranam Chatterjee shares how his has developed two impressive AI tools transforming this field: MetaLATTE, which predicts whether proteins will bind specific metals, and the upcoming MetaLORIAN, which generates custom peptides designed to target particular metals like cadmium, lead, or copper. These technologies represent a significant advancement over traditional remediation approaches, potentially offering more precise, selective methods for environmental cleanup.

What makes this work particularly exciting is its dual potential—the same protein engineering techniques could address environmental pollution while simultaneously developing therapies for human metal poisoning. From brownfield remediation to industrial metal recycling and medical applications, these programmable proteins could offer unprecedented flexibility in how we tackle toxic metal contamination.

Visit chatterjeelab.com or huggingface.com/chatterjeelab to explore these tools yourself and see firsthand how AI-driven protein engineering is revolutionizing environmental remediation.

Send us a text

Cryptocurrency and climate biotechnology might seem like an unusual pairing, but Albert Anis, founding steward of ValleyDAO, is showing this combination has remarkable potential. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) are creating entirely new funding mechanisms for scientists working on our planet's most critical challenges.

At the heart of ValleyDAO's approach is a radical rethinking of how intellectual property can be governed and commercialized. Through "IP NFTs" (non-fungible tokens representing intellectual property), communities of token holders can collectively participate in funding research, making governance decisions, and advancing technologies from lab to marketplace. By creating aligned communities around specific scientific innovations, ValleyDAO provides more than just funding – it delivers expertise, connections, and sustained support through the challenging commercialization process.

While traditional science funding faces significant cuts and challenges, new tools like AI and crypto could help create opportunities for bottom-up innovation. This tension is precisely where transformative new approaches can emerge.

Send us a text

What if we could harness nature's most precise chemical tools and make them work in industrial settings? James Weltz, co-founder and CSO of Cascade Bio, reveals how enzyme immobilization technology is transforming chemical manufacturing by stabilizing delicate biological catalysts.

From his childhood exploring chemical plants with his industrial hygienist father to his groundbreaking PhD research, Weltz shares the journey that led to Cascade Bio's revolutionary polymer brush technology. This innovation allows enzymes to maintain their remarkable catalytic properties while anchored to solid surfaces – converting them from fragile biological molecules into robust industrial catalysts that can operate in continuous flow processes.

The implications are profound. While enzymes have long promised atomic precision in chemical transformations, their instability has limited industrial adoption. Cascade's technology preserves nearly 100% of enzyme activity during immobilization (compared to just 1% with conventional methods), allowing these biocatalysts to withstand higher temperatures, function in organic solvents, and operate continuously for much longer periods.

Weltz walks us through real-world applications already making an impact – from nitrile hydratase producing acrylamide for rubber manufacturing to penicillin G-acylase creating antibiotics at massive scale. More exciting possibilities await, including true recycling of plastics and remediation of "forever chemicals" like PFAS. The conversation extends to multi-enzyme cascades that perform complex chemical transformations outside cells, potentially recreating cellular pathways in industrial settings.

The melding of computational protein design with robust immobilization technologies may finally deliver on biotech's promise of "infinitely scalable, atomically precise" chemical manufacturing. As Welts puts it, these innovations could transform how we produce the materials our modern world depends on – making them compatible with human and planetary health.

Join this deep dive into the cutting edge of industrial biocatalysis, where nature's chemical tools are being reimagined for a more sustainable future.

(00:00) Introduction to Enzyme Immobilization
(00:18) Welcome to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(01:09) Meet James Weltz: A Leader in Enzyme Immobilization
(01:43) The Potential of Enzyme Immobilization in Climate Biotech
(02:21) James Weltz's Background and Early Influences
(08:31) Understanding Enzyme Immobilization
(10:03) The Importance and Benefits of Enzyme Immobilization
(19:41) Challenges and Innovations in Enzyme Immobilization
(24:10) Case Study: Lipase Enzymes
(25:25) Dramatic Improvements in Enzyme Technology
(25:45) Enzyme Stability and Industrial Applications
(27:22) The GPT Moment for Enzyme Work
(28:09) Exciting Examples of Enzyme Applications
(30:48) Community Questions: AI and Enzyme Design
(39:18) Challenges and Opportunities in the Enzyme Industry
(41:38) Future of Enzyme Technology and Rapid Fire Questions

Send us a text

What happens when brilliant scientific innovation meets masterful storytelling? 

Marketing rarely tops the priority list for scientists and biotech founders who are deep in the technical challenges of making their innovations work. Yet without effective communication, even groundbreaking discoveries risk languishing in obscurity, unable to attract the talent, funding, and partnerships necessary to scale their impact.

In this illuminating conversation, Dan Goodwin welcomes marketing experts Erum Azeez Khan and Karl Schmieder — from Messaginglab and the Grow Everything Biotech Podcast — who work with science-driven companies to elevate their stories and impact. With their unique backgrounds spanning biochemistry, creative writing, and entrepreneurship, they share insights on transforming complex scientific concepts into compelling narratives that resonate with investors, partners, and the public.

Through revealing case studies like K18 Hair (which sold to Unilever for nearly $1 billion after just three years) and Cultivarium, we explore how effective scientific storytelling creates tangible business results and exame how scientific innovators must adapt their messaging to emphasize performance advantages.

Whether you're a scientist, entrepreneur, investor, or simply curious about how ideas spread, this episode offers practical wisdom on making people care about innovations that could shape our collective future.

(00:00) Introduction to Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:35) Meet the Hosts: Dan Goodwin
(00:51) Special Guests: Erum Azeez and Karl Schmeider
(01:37) The Importance of Storytelling in Science
(02:26) Marketing Strategies for Scientists
(03:41) Getting to Know Karl and Erum
(05:03) Erum's Journey from Pharma to Marketing
(07:34) Karl's Path to Biotech Marketing
(09:58) The Role of a Fractional CMO
(14:26) Effective Storytelling Techniques
(21:09) The Value of Blogging and Content Creation
(24:20) The Attention Economy and Google's 7-11-4 Rule
(25:11) Maximizing Content Reach Across Platforms
(26:23) Case Study: K18 Hair's Science Storytelling Success
(29:08) Leveraging Experts for Market Differentiation
(29:57) Case Study: Verium's Strategic Growth
(31:39) Shifts in Climate Biotech Narratives
(37:25) The Importance of Language and Buzzwords
(40:18) Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Send us a text

In our latest episode of the Climate Biotech Podcast, we explore where science meets business with Jesse Lou, the CEO of Conductor Labs. 

Jesse shares his unique insights into the indispensable role of Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) in guiding the commercialization of climate technologies. We then explore a particular use case — biomining — with  Jayme Feyhl-Buska of Homeworld Collective.

As innovators in biotech, it's paramount to understand that while groundbreaking ideas hold great promise, success hinges on solid economic foundations. Failure to integrate economic considerations early in the innovation process often leads to avoidable pitfalls. By adopting a proactive approach to TEAs, scientists can identify crucial economic factors, optimize resource allocation, and pivot when necessary, thus bridging the gap between technical advancement and market reality.

In this episode, we discuss how TEAs not only function as internal decision-making tools but also as compelling narratives used to engage investors and the wider community. A well-structured TEA can convincingly present a technology's real-world value, portraying its scientific merit and expected economic returns. 

Join us for this enlightening discussion to understand how embedding economic thinking into scientific endeavors is not just advisable but essential for driving impactful climate solutions. 

(00:00) Introduction to Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:48) Guest Introduction: Jesse Lou
(02:10) Jesse's Early Life and Education
(03:31) Career Journey: From Engineering to Climate Biotech
(04:48) The Importance of Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA)
(10:45) Challenges and Misconceptions in TEA
(18:34) Current Work and Future Directions
(23:35) Introducing Jayme Feyhl-Buska
(24:08) Introduction to Mining and Bioleaching
(24:30) Challenges in Mining Technology Adoption
(25:06) Learning and Implementing TEAs
(25:58) Importance of Process Flows and Communication
(27:37) Insights from Mining Conferences
(28:59) The Role of TEAs in Decision Making
(30:51) Focus on Copper Bioleaching
(32:03) Challenges in Copper Heap Leaching
(34:32) Modeling and Parameterizing TEAs
(37:06) Communicating Error and Risk in TEAs
(42:04) Rapid Fire Questions with Jesse
(45:33) Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Send us a text

How can biotechnology revolutionize heavy industries and convert carbon waste into a valuable resource?

In this special cross-posted episode—from our friends Erum and Karl at the Grow Everything Biotech Podcast and Messaginglab—we feature Moji Karimi, co-founder of Cemvita, a company leading the way in carbon conversion technology.

Moji shares Cemvita’s journey from a bold vision in industrial biotech to real-world solutions that repurpose carbon emissions into valuable products. From reshaping the energy and mining sectors to exploring applications in aerospace, he highlights the power of harnessing nature’s processes for sustainability.

Join us as we explore the evolving relationship between biotech and heavy industry—and a future where carbon waste is no longer a liability, but an opportunity.

(00:00) Introduction to Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:46) Special Episode Introduction
(03:22) Interview with Moji Karimi Begins
(04:02) Founding of Cemvita
(06:59) CO2 Utilization and Early Projects
(09:27) Navigating Platform vs. Product
(14:26) Spinning Out Subsidiaries
(25:29) Partnerships and Future Plans
(31:59) The Importance of Biodiversity in Climate Solutions
(32:28) Innovative Nature-Based Solutions
(33:49) The Role of Carbon Conversion in Biotech
(34:40) Cemvita's Unique Approach to Carbon Utilization
(36:47) Scaling Up: Challenges and Strategies
(44:17) Building a Company Culture
(49:18) Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
(52:56) Working with Family: Pros and Cons
(54:59) Final Thoughts and Future Vision

Send us a text

(Recorded July 2024)

In this episode, Paul Reginato—co-founder of Homeworld Collective—turns the mic on Dan Goodwin, Homeworld’s co-founder and Executive Director, to explore his journey from near-failures in Boise, Idaho, to becoming a trailblazer in climate biotechnology.

Dan reflects on how his formative years at Harvey Mudd College and his time at Stanford under AI visionary Fei-Fei Li, coupled with his innovative stint at IDEO, ignited his passion for entrepreneurship and shaped his visionary approach. His story highlights the power of timing, collaboration, and resilience in transforming challenges into opportunities.

Together, they discuss the pressing hurdles facing climate biotech—from scalability issues to market forces that lag behind sectors like medical biotech and software development—and explore the critical need for centralized hubs of innovation. With a forward-thinking nonprofit approach, they discuss empowering practitioners to tackle the soluble problems at the intersection of climate and biotechnology. 

Tune in as Dan and Paul emphasize the importance of starting with well-defined problems and draw inspiration from initiatives like the COVID fast grants to accelerate high-quality research funding. Dan also shares invaluable advice for aspiring biotechnologists, sprinkling in insights from historical breakthroughs like Peter Mitchell’s ox-phosphorylation discovery. Through Homeworld Collective, they envision a future where collaboration and innovation drive exponential growth in climate biotech.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:31) Meet the Founders: Dan Goodwin's Journey
(01:44) Dan's Early Life and Education
(03:29) Transition to Entrepreneurship and AI
(11:39) The Birth of Homeworld Collective
(14:23) Challenges in Climate Biotech
(17:33) Homeworld's Mission and Garden Grants
(29:33) Advice for Aspiring Biologists
(31:51) Dan's Favorite Science Factoids
(33:26) Future Vision for Homeworld Collective
(41:28) Closing Remarks and Thank You

Send us a text

Join us as we explore the innovative world of protein engineering with Samuel Thompson. Samuel's work focuses on engineering proteins to function in organic solvents, environments that would be hostile to traditional cell-based life. This approach has significant implications for bridging the gap between the enzymes market and the trillion-dollar specialty chemicals market, potentially leading to decentralized chemical production with a much lower environmental footprint.

In this episode, Samuel shares their personal journey, from growing up in West Texas to their current role as a postdoc at Stanford and the University of Washington. They discuss how their queerness informs their science and the long-term vision they have for their work — a commitment to solving complex problems often overlooked by mainstream science. With support from the Homeworld Collective, Samuel is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in protein engineering, aiming to create sustainable solutions for chemical production that could transform industries in the decades to come.

Send us a text

Join us as Sam Abernethy, Methane Removal Scientist from Spark Climate Solutions, and Paul Reginato of Homeworld Collective explore why tackling methane could be even more impactful than focusing on carbon dioxide in the near-term. Methane's potent warming potential and short-lived nature make it a high-leverage target for climate mitigation. 

We delve into nature’s own methane eaters—methanotrophs—and how they could help reduce atmospheric methane levels. From bioreactors to genetically engineered plants expressing methane monooxygenase, we highlight promising biological solutions that could reshape methane mitigation strategies.

However, innovation comes with challenges. Sam and Paul discuss the complexities of engineering enzymes for methane breakdown, the hurdles of accurate methane measurement, and the importance of scientific collaboration. These challenges underscore the need for continued research and development in the field.

From agricultural lands to Arctic permafrost, we explore the ethical and technological questions surrounding methane interventions—and the efforts to shape the future of the field, positioning it as a key strategy in the fight against climate change.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(01:49) Meet Sam Abernethy
(03:01) Understanding Methane and Its Impact
(06:59) Methane Removal: Challenges and Opportunities
(11:35) Biological Atmospheric Methane Removal
(24:30) Workshop Insights and Future Directions
(39:20) Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks

Send us a text

How can protein science shape the future of food and climate solutions? Meet Anum Glasgow, a leading researcher at Columbia University, whose journey—rooted in her Pakistani heritage and a childhood of curiosity on the Jersey Shore—led her to the cutting edge of protein engineering.

Anum shares how her fascination with protein folding evolved into groundbreaking research on designing multifunctional proteins and therapeutics. We explore the hidden elegance of nature’s self-folding systems and how they inspire innovations in climate biotech.

We also dive into the work of Team Yeast Feast, a group pioneering a sustainable approach to flavor. By engineering proteins that enhance sweetness and umami naturally, they’re rethinking how we experience taste—tackling food sustainability with creativity and science. From blind taste tests to leveraging AlphaFold, their work blends playfulness with real-world impact.

Finally, we look at how hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry is unlocking the secrets of protein structure and its role in taste perception. What makes some sugar substitutes fall flat? How do protein conformations shape flavor? We connect the dots between sequence, structure, and sensory experience.

Tune in for a closer look at the Glasgow Lab’s work and the latest in climate biotech, brought to you by the Homeworld Collective.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:32) Guest Introduction: Anum Glasgow
(02:03) Anum's Background and Journey into Science
(02:40) The Fascination with Protein Folding
(05:35) From Physical to Biological Folding
(08:05) Computational and Experimental Approaches in Protein Research
(13:12) Exploring Taste Perception and Climate Solutions
(14:43) Engineering Sweet and Umami Yeast
(26:06) Technical Insights: Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry
(33:30) Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion

Send us a text

What role does biotechnology play in solving the climate crisis? Join us as we spotlight Ahmed Badran, assistant professor at the Scripps Research Institute and a leader in climate biotech innovation. Ahmed is a recipient of Homeworld Collective's Garden Grants for Protein Engineering. 

Ahmed shares his journey, from growing up in Egypt in a family of scientists to becoming a pioneer in engineering enzymes for climate solutions. 

We dive into the fascinating intersection of machine learning, synthetic biology, and climate innovation, spotlighting Rubisco, a key enzyme in photosynthesis with untapped potential. Ahmed unpacks his research on enhancing Rubisco’s efficiency and its revolutionary implications for carbon capture and climate sustainability.

Ahmed also offers insights for aspiring biotechnologists, sharing advice on bridging computational and chemical expertise and the value of tackling bold, ambitious projects. Tune in for a closer look at the work happening at Scripps Research and the future of climate biotech.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:50) Meet Ahmed Bajran: A Rising Star in Climate Biotech
(01:49) Ahmed's Unique Background and Early Influences
(03:29) Academic Journey and Early Research
(05:33) Synthetic Biology and Bioengineering Insights
(07:30) David Liu's Lab and Complex Problem Solving
(11:54) Garden Grant Proposal: Tackling Climate Change
(16:04) Rubisco and Carbon Capture Innovations
(22:51) Advanced Genetic Engineering Techniques
(31:08) Future of Synthetic Biology and Final Thoughts
(34:04) Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks

Send us a text

What if you could break free from traditional educational constraints and ignite your passion for science in a community biolab? Join us as Jas Neal and Elliot Roth share their remarkable journeys that challenge the norms of scientific exploration. Jas takes us from her entrepreneurial roots in Florida to her pioneering efforts in biochemistry, while Elliot reveals how community biolabs helped him bypass educational barriers to pursue his love for materials science. Together, they shine a spotlight on these innovative spaces that serve as a bridge between the rigid structures of universities and the dynamic world of startups!


(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:20) Meet the Hosts: Dan, Jas, and Elliot
(00:44) The Value of Recording Conversations
(01:41) Introducing Jess Neal and Elliot
(03:21) Jas's Journey into Community Biolabs
(05:28) Elliot's Background and Passion for Biology
(06:46) Challenges and Realizations in Academia
(08:45) The Role of Community Biolabs
(09:15) Learning and Experimentation in Community Labs
(16:36) Elliot's Unique Lab Spaces and Projects
(19:12) Collaborations and Success Stories
(23:39) Criticisms and Limitations of Community Biolabs
(25:36) Challenges in Community Bio Labs
(26:54) Funding and Sustainability Issues
(29:13) The Importance of Play and Experimentation
(32:51) Innovative Funding Models and Projects
(38:24) Future of Community Bio Labs
(46:43) Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Send us a text

On this episode of The Climate Biotech Podcast, we're sitting down with the legendary George Church. A pioneer in genomics and synthetic biology, George is known for his innovative visions for future tech — and for developing the foundational tools to get us there. 

This conversation spans a gamut of creative ideas including observing planetary metabolomes with satellites, cleaning up supply chains via total recycling, advancing inorganic synthetic biology using multiplex DNA libraries, and harnessing developmental biology to surpass current 3-D printing capabilities.

Tune in to hear George's unique perspective on how biotechnology can provide infinitely scalable and atomically precise solutions to our planet's most pressing issues.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(02:26) Meet George Church: Early Life and Career
(04:23) The State of Synthetic Biology and Bioengineering
(06:13) Future -omes and Planetary Scale Biotech
(08:47) Writing Genomes and Climate Biotech
(10:22) Infinitely Scalable and Atomically Precise Biology
(20:38) Inorganic Synthetic Biology and New Frontiers
(23:26) Paul Reginato's Segment: Climate Relevant Problems
(36:13) Audience Q&A and Rapid Fire Questions
(41:17) Closing Remarks and Thank You

Send us a text

How does a love for life and a deep passion for science fuel groundbreaking climate solutions? Join us as we spotlight Homeworld Founding Scientist Paul Reginato, who launched Homeworld Collective alongside Dan Goodwin to empower the climate biotech community.

Paul shares his journey, from starting as an aspiring young artist, to falling in love with biology as an undergraduate, to developing foundational in situ sequencing tech as a PhD researcher at MIT, to leading community roadmapping efforts for open problems in climate biotech. 

We explore how microbes can help in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and how communicating open problems can empower innovation in a community.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:43) Meet the Hosts: Dan Goodwin and Paul Reginato
(01:38) Paul Reginato's Journey: From Art to Biology
(02:45) The Intersection of Love and Science
(03:27) Founding Homeworld Collective
(07:32) The Grind of Scientific Research
(10:19) From PhD to Climate Biotech
(13:41) The Problem Statement Repository
(21:20) Connecting Funders with Science
(22:07) Exploring Climate Biotech Problems
(22:47) Biology and Mineral Interactions
(23:56) Innovations in Mining and Carbon Management
(26:54) Microbial Community Functions in Mineral Weathering
(28:25) Challenges in Carbon Capture
(30:40) Community-Centric Approach at Homeworld
(35:10) Rapid Fire Questions with Paul
(39:23) Advice for Aspiring Biologists
(40:49) Dreams for Homeworld Collective
(42:10) Conclusion and Contact Information

Send us a text

How does a fear of scuba diving transform into a career involving ocean microbes? Braden Tierney, the co-founder and executive director of the Two Frontiers Project, shares his incredible journey from studying the human microbiome to pioneering climate biotechnology. With a dual degree in biology and economics from Duke University and a PhD from Harvard Medical School, Braden’s fascinating story is one of overcoming personal fears and merging diverse skills to create a unique niche in environmental microbiology. His enriching experiences, from internships at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to postdoctoral work at Weill Cornell Medical College, underscore the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in groundbreaking research.

Listen as Braden discusses the strides made by the Two Frontiers Project, a nonprofit exploring life’s diversity in extreme environments like oceans and space. Learn about their groundbreaking research on carbon sequestering cyanobacterium and coral technology, including the discovery of a novel strain, which thrives in high CO2 environments and may hold the key to effective carbon sequestration. This episode illuminates the challenges and triumphs of pioneering research, from early setbacks to successful collaborations that push the boundaries of science and sustainability. Braden's insights into the cultivation of a living microbial database and the development of coral health technologies reveal a roadmap to address planetary-scale challenges.

2FP's innovative strategies and tight-knit collaboration underscore the balance between academic research and practical deployment, aiming to solve medium-term climate problems. This episode serves as an educational and inspirational guide for anyone passionate about harnessing biotechnology for a sustainable future. 

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:36) Meet Braden Tierney: A Journey in Biology
(01:54) Early Fascination with Science
(03:27) Diving into Marine Biology
(05:18) The Importance of Side Projects
(05:57) Combining Skills for Unique Research
(07:53) Academic Journey and Mentorship
(13:26) Postdoctoral Adventures in Space Biology
(15:25) The Two Frontiers Project: Oceans and Space
(17:22) Challenges and Innovations in Microbial Research
(22:13) Challenges in Environmental Sampling
(25:58) The CO2 Story: Promising Isolates
(29:33) Coral Reef Health and Technology
(32:22) Future Expeditions and Climate Biotech
(35:54) Building Expertise for Climate Solutions
(37:52) Skills and Opportunities in Climate Biotech
(40:58) Conclusion and Call to Action

Send us a text

How do upland trees contribute to the fight against climate change? Join us as we uncover the unexpected climate services of trees with Vince Gauci, an ecosystem scientist and biogeochemist at the University of Birmingham. 

In this episode of The Climate Biotech Podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of methane uptake by trees with ecosystem scientist and biogeochemist Vince Gauci. His groundbreaking research at the University of Birmingham offers new insights into the hidden roles that trees play in mitigating climate change. 

Throughout the episode, Vince's passion for ecosystem science and his dedication to addressing climate change are evident. His work underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and integrating process-level research with large-scale modeling to provide a holistic understanding of ecosystem dynamics. This episode is packed with thought-provoking insights for researchers, policymakers, and environmental enthusiasts alike.

Send us a text

Welcome to the Climate Biotech Podcast, where we explore critical challenges at the intersection of climate and biology.

Join us as we interview the most innovative voices in our sector, from scientists and entrepreneurs to policymakers and investors. Our guest today is Lisa Stein, American biologist who is a professor at the University of Alberta. Lisa shares her journey from growing up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to becoming a pioneering researcher in environmental science, discussing the intricacies of microbial processes and their impact on climate change. We delve into the complexities of greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, and explore the potential of microbial and chemical solutions to mitigate their effects.

(00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
(00:36) Meet Lisa Stein: A Leader in Methane and Nitrogen Cycles
(01:03) Lisa's Journey into Environmental Science
(01:34) Graduate Work and the Start of Microbial Research
(04:17) The Importance of Methane and Nitrous Oxide
(07:02) Challenges in Methane Removal
(08:16) Microbial and Chemical Solutions for Methane
(12:18) Understanding Redox Reactions
(15:21) Sources of Methane and Nitrous Oxide
(19:04) Linking Methane and Nitrous Oxide
(22:06) Soil Microbes and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(24:08) The Role of Metals in Microbial Metabolism
(27:05) Ecological Interactions and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
(31:15) Technological Approaches to Methane and Nitrous Oxide Reduction
(38:11) Audience Q&A: Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Microbial Solutions

Tune in for an insightful conversation on the forefront of climate biotechnology, where cutting-edge research meets practical solutions.

Send us a text

Welcome to The Climate Biotech Podcast hosted by Dan Goodwin. In our inaugural episode, we delve into an enlightening conversation with Brad Zamft, a project lead at Alphabet's Moonshot Factory. Brad shares his remarkable journey from a PhD in neuroscience, through various prestigious roles, to his current pioneering work in plant synthetic biology.

Tune in for an expert-level discussion aimed at identifying the most crucial problems in climate science and discovering innovative solutions to tackle them. This episode promises to inspire and inform anyone passionate about climate biotech and the future of sustainable agriculture.

(00:00) Introduction to the Homeworld Podcast
(01:13) Meet Brad Zamft: From PhD to Moonshot Factory
(01:51) Challenges in Plant Synthetic Biology
(03:57) Brad's Academic Journey and Personal Growth
(09:30) From Academia to Policy: The AAAS Fellowship
(19:59) The Importance of Genetically Engineering Plants
(24:36) Protoplast Transformation and Regeneration
(27:24) Innovative Methods in Plant Transformation
(28:25) State of the Art in Plant Engineering
(30:16) Challenges and Market Limitations
(30:58) Exploring Viral Vectors for Gene Editing
(33:14) Technical Hurdles in Organelle Targeting
(36:10) Metrics and Efficiency in Plant Transformation
(40:59) Future Directions and Open Questions
(46:25) Engaging the Community and Final Thoughts

Send us a text