biography

Jun Wang is the Founder and CEO of iCarbonX. He is also a Co-Founder and a Board Member of the BGI, which is now widely recognized as one of world’s premier research facilities committed to excellence in genome sciences. His research focuses on genomics and bioinformatics analysis of complex diseases, with the goal of developing applications using the genomic information to enable every individual to better manage their health and avoid disease.

sessions

Keynote. A digital DNA twin to keep us healthy

Improving our health instead of fighting diseases? The idea is quite appealing and it's exactly what Jun Wang's company is building. Using genome's sequencing, Jun Wang created a digital DNA twin, a digital representation of one's genetic map. He's working towards aggregating all our genetic information and then combining it with AI algorithms to personalise treatments for diseases like diabetes and cancer—and even everyday items like over-the-counter skin-care products, too.

biography 

Coming soon!

biography

Dr. George M. Church is professor of genetics at Harvard, founding member of the Wyss Institute, and director of PersonalGenomes.org. Church is a pioneer in the fields of personal genomics and synthetic biology. He developed the first methods for genome sequencing and cost reductions. His team invented CRISPR for human stem cell genome editing and other synthetic biology technologies and applications. Church directs the IARPA & NIH BRAIN Projects and NIH Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science.

SESSIONS

Fireside Chat. Pionneering Gene-Editing

George Church is probably the most well-known geneticist of our time. And not just because he once wanted to bring the wholly mammoth back or reverse aging in humans (but it sure helped!). A pionneer in gene-editing in the 90s, he's mostly working on getting more and more people to have their genome sequenced. What's next in this field?

Panel. Code of the Wild. 

Genome modification will inevitably change us and the natural world. Many questions have been raised about who decides what is right and what is wrong on the new frontier. What are the benefits? And where are the boundaries? Attend this high level panel to hear from experts in their field, as they debate some of the toughest questions that we face today. 

Find out more about Code of the Wild, a next generation fluid documentary film exploring how humanity is shaped through our decisions today in the era of the genomic revolution via their website. 

biography

Dr. Anita Sengupta is a rocket scientist and aerospace engineer who has developed spacecraft technologies enabling the exploration of Mars, Asteroids, and deep space. With her wealth of knowledge as a Research Professor at the University of Southern California and Senior Vice President at Hyperloop One, Dr. Sengupta shares her expertise and unique perspectives as a world-renowned science communicator.

sessions

Keynote. The Future of Mars Exploration

Mars is the next destination for humans, but there are still some big challenges to overcome to get there. One of the most challenging aspects of Mars missions is the safe landing on the surface—from an initial entry speed of 30,000 miles per hour to a soft touchdown. During the descent to the surface, robots and, eventually, people are protected from extreme temperatures and G-forces by complexly engineered systems. On the surface, future explorers must be able to survive radiation and low pressures, with only the limited resources they can bring along. This talk will discuss the motivation for Mars exploration and how engineering challenges are tackled with computational modelling, cutting-edge technologies, and out-of-the-box thinking. Engineering the Red Planet is the key to our future and to understanding our past.

biography

Andras Forgacs is the Co-Founder and CEO of Modern Meadow, which launched in 2011. Previously, he had also co-founded Organovo, a leader in tissue engineering which pioneered the use of 3D bio-printing to create human tissue. Andras also was a managing director with Richmond Global, a technology-focused venture fund. He is also co-founder and chairman emeritus of Resolution Project, a Kauffman Fellow with the Center for Venture Education, and a term member with the Council on Foreign Relations.

sessions

Keynote. Growing our clothes in the lab 

What if we unlocked the power of nature to totally change the way we build materials? Designed at DNA level and then grown in a lab, and finally assembled to fit exactly our needs, Modern Meadow's collagen protein paves the way towards a more sustainable world.

biography

Coming soon!

sessions

Keynote. Unlocking the power of our soil

As our planet population grows each year, how can we apply artificial intelligence and microbial genomics to increase our food production while providing value to farmers?

biography

Coming soon!

sessions

Keynote. Towards a greener gold?

Who knew we had so much gold in our pockets? The yellow metal is an integral element of our electronic devices such as cellphones, laptops and so on. Yet only about 30% of it is recycled nowadays, due to toxic or inneficient methods. Seems quite a waste, doesn't it? That's what Euan Doidge thought as well! So, what if we could do more and truly tap into this urban gold mine?

biography

Sabine Hauert is an Assistant Professor in Robotics and the President and Co-Founder of Robohub.org, a non-profit dedicated to connecting the robotics community to the world. Her research focuses in designing swarms that work in large numbers and at small scales. Applications range from nanomedicine for cancer treatment, to robot swarms in industrial and environmental applications. Her discovery of swarm algorithms is powered by bio-inspiration and machine learning.

sessions

Keynote. Swarm robots inspired by nature

biography

Bob Mumgaard is the CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), a fusion energy startup partnered with MIT. As CEO, Mumgaard drives the company’s vision to accelerate the path to commercial fusion energy. A visionary who believes in the power of innovation to facilitate breakthroughs to combat climate change, Mumgaard and the CFS team are working in collaboration with MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center to realize the holy grail of renewable energy: fusion.

sessions

Keynote. How close are we to clean fusion energy?

Fusion energy is often seen as a graal as it would provide a virtually limitless pollution-free source of energy. How close are we to this?