Advancing engineering biology and the bioeconomy through global alignment and standards

Realizing the promise of engineering biology will take more than the efforts of any single nation, relying instead on global cooperation and alignment. The Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) is helping to advance this by bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers around a common vision: advancing engineering biology to meet national and global needs. This talk will highlight how EBRC’s member-led community is shaping the field’s future through its research roadmaps, policy engagement, and international activities. Together, these efforts are defining scientific priorities, strengthening technical and non-technical standards, and guiding the responsible growth of the global bioeconomy.

The role of standards and metrology as enablers of EngBio powered technologies

This presentation will discuss the role and importance of Standards and metrology as enabler in Enginerering Biology, provide an overview of the NPL Engineering Biology Standards and Metrology Programme and oputline activity in the recently launched UK Reference Biofoundry at the National Physical Laboratory.

Biography:

Dr. India Hook-Barnard is Chief Executive Officer of the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC). Her primary interests are in the areas of synthetic biology, precision medicine, responsible innovation, and biosecurity. She works with experts and leaders from across academia, industry, and government sectors to identify and shape scientific opportunities, technical feasibility, and policy issues that work to advance and accelerate engineering biology solutions and grow the bioeconomy for all. Prior to joining EBRC, India was Senior Advisor to the Beyond 2020: A Vision and Pathway for NIH Working Group, and Senior Vice President for Patient Outcomes and Experience at the National Marrow Donor Program. She was the Director of Research Strategy and Associate Director, Precision Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, helped launch and was the Executive Director for the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine, and worked at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). She holds a PhD in Microbiology-Medicine from the University of Missouri.

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Jeffrey Anthony joined NPL in 2019 and works as part of NPL’s Life Sciences & Health Partnerships Team. With a focus on the building collaborations across the Life science sector Jeffrey works with collaborators across industry, academic and public sector to identify the ways in which NPL’s metrology expertise and capability can help to support research and its translation to drive growth.

Jeffrey’s technical background is in microbiology, and he has worked in roles across quality assurance, and both product and business development. His experience includes the pharmaceutical sector, the development of genomic marker technologies in agritech and activities in cell biology. In his current role his time is dedicated to building partnerships across the UK and internationally across Standards and metrology in Engineering Biology supporting companies in their quest to scale and commercialise at pace.