SynBYSS

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The 1st International SynBYSS Conference will unite in-person a previously online-only group of speakers and audiences, with an explicit goal to invest in the young, diverse, and international future of synthetic biology. As early-career synthetic biology researchers begin their own research, there are few conferences that provide an opportunity for them to express their ideas, network effectively, or collaborate widely. Moreover, these young practitioners are an increasingly diverse group without obvious representation.

The 1st International SynBYSS Conference will be held at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, December 9-12, 2024.

The conference will focus on what the future holds for synthetic biology as embodied by these young practitioners. The primary objective of the conference is to foster a more interactive, inclusive, sustainable, and collaborative community. Talks will be given primarily by young researchers with a few pioneer keynote speakers, mimicking the format of the online series. The conference will also include discussion panels and networking events to actively promote collaborations between researchers at different career stages, thus facilitating an effective combination of new ideas and expertise.

We envision the International SynBYSS Conference to be a biennial event, held in different areas of the world, to emphasize the importance of global participation. To ensure we reach this younger audience, funding would enable us to offset registration fees and travel costs for as many young synthetic biologists as possible.

Speakers & Schedule

Keynote

  • Markita Landry, Ph.D.
    UC Berkley
  • Adam Arkin, Ph.D.
    UC Berkeley
  • Lingchong You, Ph.D.
    Duke University
  • Wenjun Zhang, Ph.D.
    UC Berkeley
  • Greg Stephanopolous, Ph.D.
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Member, National Academy of Engineering
  • Jonathan Dordick, Ph.D.
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Tilmann Weber, Ph.D.
    Technical University of Denmark
  • Ben Luisi, Ph.D.
    University of Cambridge

Speakers

  • Nigel Mouncey, Ph.D.
    DOE Joint Genome Institute
  • Matthew DeLisa, Ph.D.
    Cornell University
  • Mattheos Koffas, Ph.D.
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Nozomu Yachie, Ph.D.
    University of British Columbia
  • Gozde Demirer, Ph.D.
    Caltech
  • Joshua Atkinson, Ph.D.
    Princeton University
  • David Truong, Ph.D.
    New York University
  • Natalie Farny, Ph.D.
    Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Xiaojun Tian, Ph.D.
    Arizona State University
  • Sara Molinari, Ph.D.
    University of Maryland
  • Jinjin Diao, Ph.D.
    Washington University in St. Louis
  • Clement Chan, Ph.D.
    University of North Texas
  • Carlotta Ronda, Ph.D.
    Innovative Genomics Institute
  • Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Ph.D.
    Imperial College London
  • Birgitta E. Ebert, Ph.D.
    University of Queensland
  • Erin Garza, Ph.D.
    J. Craig Venter Institute

Panelists

  • Greg Stephanopolous, Ph.D.
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Metabolic Engineering and Current Opinion in Biotechnology (former editor-in-chief)
  • Emma Yee, Ph.D.
    Cell
  • Tae Seok Moon, Ph.D.
    J. Craig Venter Institute
    New Biotechnology (editor-in-chief)
  • Mattheos Koffas, Ph.D.
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
    Metabolic Engineering Communications (editor-in-chief)
  • Nigel Mouncey, Ph.D.
    DOE Joint Genome Institute (agency director)
  • Jermont Chen, Ph.D.
    NIH/NIBIB (program director)
  • Ron Weiss, Ph.D.
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Kevin Solomon, Ph.D.
    University of Delaware
  • Leopold N. Green, Ph.D.
    Purdue University
  • Emily Aurand, Ph.D.
    Engineering Biology Research Consortium
  • Cholpisit "Ice" Kiattisewee, Ph.D.
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Ph.D.
    Imperial College London
  • Matthew DeLisa, Ph.D.
    Cornell University
  • Seung Hwan (Allen) Lee, Ph.D.
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
  • Duhan Toparlak, Ph.D.
    University of Oxford

Schedule

View the conference schedule. These are the planned technical sessions:

Engineering biology fundamentals for basic science advances

  • Origins of life
  • Synthetic cells and cell-free technologies
  • Current mechanism discoveries
  • Designing synthetic or minimal genomes

Engineering biology for human health

  • Novel medicines and translational technologies
  • Mammalian synthetic biology
  • Engineering microbiomes for health applications

Engineering biology for sustainability

  • Production of biofuels, natural products, and biomaterials
  • Planetary health and space exploration
  • Agricultural applications
  • Engineering microbiomes for sustainability

Engineering biology for enabling technology, innovation, and societal impact

  • Biosecurity, biosafety, and ethics
  • Genome engineering
  • Gene circuit design
  • Computational tools, techniques, and CAD
  • Multi-omics approaches

Other sessions (tentative)

  • Panel and roundtable discussions
  • Road-mapping discussions among broader global community members
  • Networking session
  • “Meet the legend” session
  • Poster presentation sessions

Registration

Registration is now open. Please register early to confirm your spot.

Register Now

Registration Fees:

  • Student / trainee / postdoc: $350
  • Faculty / nonprofit / government / independent researcher: $450
  • Industry: $800

SynBYSS Fellows Awards may be available to a limited number of participants. Please see the Travel Support section below for more information.

In registering for the International SynBYSS Conference, participants agree to the participant expectations, code of conduct, and terms, which covers presentation of unpublished results, confidentiality, non-discrimination, the code of conduct, and refund policy.

Abstract submissions

Abstract submission is separate from registration. Submissions from all attendees are welcome! We encourage you to submit your latest, ongoing work as a mechanism to engage in community dialogue.

There will be awards for the best poster presentations at the conference.

Submit Abstract

Important dates

  • Extended deadline for Abstract submissions for poster presentations: October 25, 2024
  • Notification of talk selection: October 25, 2024
  • Notification of poster selection: November 1, 2024
  • Extended deadline for Registration: November 24, 2024
  • Conference: December 9-12, 2024

Registration may still be possible after November 8, 2024 but will incur additional costs.

Additional information

Meals

Light snacks, coffee, water, and other assorted non-alcoholic beverages as well as lunch will be provided each day of the conference.

Travel support

We encourage you to make your travel plans early to take advantage of low rates as we approach the holiday season. We plan to offer a limited number of SynBYSS Fellows Awards that include conference fee waivers and/or travel support. Awards will only be available to those speaking or presenting a poster at the conference. Submit your request with the form below.

Travel Support Request

Travel visas

We are not providing travel visas, but can provide a letter of invitation if needed. Please email synbyss@jcvi.org to request one.

Health and safety

We are committed to hosting a safe event. We will be closely watching CDC recommendations in addition to all relevant local and state guidelines leading up to the meeting and make any changes necessary for health and safety.

Dress code

The SynBYSS team values diversity and individual expression. We encourage participants to come as they are and how they wish to present themselves to the world.

Childcare Options

There are many childcare options convenient to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where the conference is being held. For your convenience, we have compiled a list of some in the area.

UH Manoa and JCVI logos

SynBYSS Conference

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
UH Mānoa Campus Center
(third-floor ballroom)
2465 Campus Rd
Honolulu, HI 96822

December 9-12, 2024

Sponsorships

Learn more about sponsorship levels and benefits: Sponsorship Opportunities (PDF)

For information about sponsorships or exhibiting, contact us at synbyss@jcvi.org.

The 1st International SynBYSS Conference is being sponsored by the Department of Molecular Biosciences & Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. J. Craig Venter Institute and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are co-organizing the event.

Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

BioMADE

Bronze Sponsors

Ansa Biotechnologies

Sung Soo Moon Award

Twist Bioscience

Donors

ACS

Elsevier

Springer Nature

Taylor & Francis

Monday, December 9

Day 1
8:45-9 Welcome: Tae Seok Moon and David Truong
Light breakfast available before start
9-10:30 Keynote Session
Moderator: Gozde Demirer
Greg Stephanopoulos
Adam Arkin
Keynote conversation
10:30-11  Break
11-12:30 Speaker Pannel: Metabolic Engineering 1
Moderator: Garrett Roell
Mattheos Koffas
Jinjin Diao
Leonardo Rios
Jun Park
Jaya Joshi
Q&A: pannel discussion
12:30-2 Lunch: Meet the legend session
2-3:30 Editor Panel: Dealing with rejection and self-promotion + Q&A
David Truong (moderator), Emma Yee, Greg Stephanopoulos, Mattheos Koffas, and Tae Seok Moon
3:30-4 Break
4-5:30 Speaker Pannel: Engineering Polymers
Moderator: Xiaojun Tian
Sara Molinari
Erin Garza
Andrea Garza Elizondo
Nils Averesch
Filip Boskovic
Q&A: pannel discussion
5:30-7 Poster session + rapid-fire talks, moderated by Tae Seok Moon
Hosted reception

Tuesday, December 10

Day 2
9-10:30 Keynote Session
Moderator: Natalie Farny
Jonathan Dordick
Markita Landry
Keynote conversation
10:30-11 Break
11-12:30 Speaker Pannel: Engineering Health
Moderator: Clement T. Y. Chan
Matthew DeLisa
David Truong
Cheemeng Tan
Kaitlin Dailey
Justin English
Q&A: pannel discussion
12:30-2 Lunch: Meet the legend session
2-3:30 Funder Panel Session: Tips on getting funded and finding funding opportunities + Q&A
Tae Seok Moon (moderator), Jermont Chen, Nigel Mouncy, Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Matthew DeLisa, and Cholpisit (Ice) Kiattisewee
3:30-4 Break
4-5:30 Speaker Pannel: Genome Engineering and Beyond
Moderator: Leopold N. Green
Nozomu Yachie
Gozde Demirer
Louise F.H. Funke
Reza Zadegan
Jorge Marchand
Q&A: pannel discussion
5:30-7 Poster session + rapid-fire talks, moderated by Tae Seok Moon
Hosted reception

Wednesday, December 11

Day 3
9-10:30 Keynote Session
Moderator: Joshua Atkinson
Wenjun Zhang
Lingchong You
Keynote conversation
10:30-11  Break
11-12:30 Speaker Pannel: Non-model and Synthetic Organisms/Microbiota Arise
Moderator: Erin Garza
Nigel Mouncey
Natalie Farny
Ilenne Del Valle Kessra
Guillermo Nevot
Kei Fujiwara
Q&A: pannel discussion
12:30-2 Lunch: Meet the legend session
2-3:30 SynBio Vision and Roadmap Session 3 (Q&A by the moderator and audience)
Tae Seok Moon (moderator), Ron Weiss, Emily Aurand, Kevin Solomon, Leopold Green, Seung Hwan (Allen) Lee, Duhan Toparlak
3:30-4 Break
4-5:30 Speaker Pannel: Genetic sensors and circuits
Moderator: Cheemeng Tan
Xiaojun Tian
Clement T. Y. Chan
Javier Santos Moreno
Thomas Eng
Ting An Lee
Q&A: pannel discussion
5:30-6 Break
6-8 Award ceremony with dinner

Thursday, December 12

Day 4
9-10:30 Keynote Session
Moderator: Sara Molinari
Tilmann Weber
Ben Luisi
Keynote conversation
10:30-11  Break
11-12:30 Speaker Pannel: Metabolic Engineering 2
Moderator: Jinjin Diao
Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
Birgitta E. Ebert 
Antonio Del Rio Flores
Dongsoo Yang
Sahara Bhanot
Q&A: pannel discussion
12:30-2 Lunch: Meet the legend session
2-3:30 Group discussions on implementing conference session visions
Moderator: Emily Aurand
3:30-4 Break
4-5:30 Speaker Pannel: Physics and Math Meet Biology
Moderator: Cholpisit (Ice) Kiattisewee
Carlotta Ronda
Joshua Atkinson
Sebastian Castillo-Hair
Alexander Darlington
Ania-Ariadna Baetica
Q&A: pannel discussion
5:30-5:45  Farewell: Tae Seok Moon & committee members

UH Manoa and JCVI logos

SynBYSS Conference

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
UH Mānoa Campus Center
(third-floor ballroom)
2465 Campus Rd
Honolulu, HI 96822

December 9-12, 2024

Sponsorships

Learn more about sponsorship levels and benefits: Sponsorship Opportunities (PDF)

For information about sponsorships or exhibiting, contact us at synbyss@jcvi.org.

The 1st International SynBYSS Conference is being sponsored by the Department of Molecular Biosciences & Bioengineering, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. J. Craig Venter Institute and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are co-organizing the event.

Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

BioMADE

Bronze Sponsors

Ansa Biotechnologies

Sung Soo Moon Award

Twist Bioscience

Donors

ACS

Elsevier

Springer Nature

Taylor & Francis

The SynBio Young Speaker Series (SynBYSS) was started as a virtual weekly seminar in August 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Tae Seok Moon, Ph.D. to highlight contributions by synthetic biology postdocs and junior faculty. Each SynBYSS session features a rising star, paired with a luminary like Jim Collins, Jay Keasling, or Frances Arnold. The series has now evolved to include an in-person conference. Among the goals of the seminar series and conference are to highlight the contributions of and provide networking opportunities for early-career synthetic biologists.

Chair

Tae Seok Moon, J. Craig Venter Institute

Co-Chairs

John Glass, J. Craig Venter Institute

Natalie Farny, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Pierangelo Gobbo, University of Trieste

Josh Atkinson, Princeton University

Leopold Noel Green, Purdue University

Rock Du, University of Hawaii

David M. Truong, New York University

Duhan Toparlak, University of Oxford

Dirk Tischler, Ruhr University Bochum

Sara Molinari, University of Maryland

Xiaojun Tian, Arizona State University

Nigel Mouncey, DOE Joint Genome Institute

Allison Lopatkin, University of Rochester

Gözde S. Demirer, Caltech

Committee

Farren Isaacs, Yale University

Neil Dixon, University of Manchester

Fangchao Song, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Clement T. Y. Chan, University of North Texas

Manish Kushwaha, INRAE

Arnab Mukherjee, UC Santa Barbara

Jinjin Diao, Washington University in St. Louis

Alexander Fedorec, University College London

Andras Gyorgy, New York University Abu Dhabi

June Medford, Colorado State University

Pablo Iván Nikel, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

Lin Su, University of Cambridge

Oskar Staufer, Leibniz-Institut für Neue Materialien

David Garcia, U.S. Army DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center

The SynBYSS Seminar Series takes place weekly, highlighting the contributions by synthetic biology postdocs and junior faculty. Each SynBYSS session features a rising star, paired with a luminary like Jim Collins, Jay Keasling, or Frances Arnold. The series was born out of the need to provide a platform for young researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, most of the limited talk spots were given to senior faculty members, depriving young researchers of the opportunity to share their work in conferences and seminars.

The series was started in August 2021, and has allowed nearly 200 young researchers with talk opportunities. It has been enthusiastically supported by global pioneers in the community (including a Nobel laureate and 21 National Academy members), 23 US/EU government and private funders, 9 high-impact journals, and 20 editors-in-chief. The weekly, free seminar series will continue at least until 2025. An archive of past talks is available on YouTube.

SynBYSS Seminar Series

The SynBYSS Seminar Series takes place every Thursday, 10-11AM US CDT (11-11:30 for discussion).

Zoom link to weekly Seminar Series

Video archive: SynBYSS seminar series playlist on YouTube

SynBYSS seminar series 2024 speaker lineup