I work in systems biology and machine learning, with a focus on high throughput screening. If I’m not thinking about entropy reduction, I’m thinking about how proteins may fit together. Happy to talk probabilistic machine learning if anyone is interested!
Geoff Baldwin is Professor of Synthetic & Molecular Biology at Imperial College London, he is Co-Director of the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology and Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in BioDesign Engineering. Research work in the Baldwin lab focuses on the development of synthetic biology approaches to facilitate the engineering of new biological systems for real-world applications. To this end he has developed foundational tools that transform our ability to rapidly prototype new biological designs, like DNA-BOT, automated DNA assembly based on the BASIC method. These fundamental developments are being applied across a broad range of projects that address gene circuit design; RNA feedback control and in vivo directed evolution for the generation of new protein specificity and functionality. Recently he has been developing new AI based approaches to enhance our ability to engineer new biological systems with human interpretable outcomes and only sparse sampling of the design space.
The Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) is seeking postdoctoral scholars interested in science policy. Postdocs will leverage their previous training to work with EBRC programs and to conduct an individual research project.
Applications are being accepted for those with interest in the bioeconomy and related technical and policy influences and impacts, and those interested in any of our four focus areas: Technical Research Roadmapping, Security, Education & Workforce Development, and Policy & International Engagement. Applicants with particular knowledge, experience, and/or expertise in one of the five Application and Impact Sectors (i.e., Environment Biotechnology & Climate, Food & Agriculture, Energy, Health & Medicine, Industrial Biotechnology) and/or the four Technical Themes (i.e., Data Science, Engineering DNA, Host Engineering, Biomolecular Engineering) described in EBRC’s Engineering Biology: A Research Roadmap for the Next-Generation Bioeconomy (2019), are encouraged.
You can find more information here!
The Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) is seeking postdoctoral scholars interested in science policy. Postdocs will leverage their previous training to work with EBRC programs and to conduct an individual research project.
EBRC is a non-profit, public-private partnership dedicated to bringing together an inclusive community committed to advancing engineering biology to address national and global needs. We showcase cutting-edge research in engineering biology, identify pressing challenges and opportunities in research and application, and articulate compelling research roadmaps and programs to address these challenges and opportunities.
Applications are being accepted for those with interest in engineering biology and related technical and policy influences and impacts, and those interested in any of our four focus areas: Technical Research Roadmapping, Security, Education & Workforce Development, and Policy & International Engagement. Applicants with particular knowledge, experience, and/or expertise in one of the five Application and Impact Sectors (i.e., Environment Biotechnology & Climate, Food & Agriculture, Energy, Health & Medicine, Industrial Biotechnology) and/or the four Technical Themes (i.e., Data Science, Engineering DNA, Host Engineering, Biomolecular Engineering) described in EBRC’s Engineering Biology: A Research Roadmap for the Next-Generation Bioeconomy (2019), are encouraged. Roughly 75% of the postdoc’s time will be dedicated to EBRC projects related to bioeconomy and/or in the focus areas (more detail below).
EBRC Focus Areas:
Postdocs will be an integral part of the EBRC Team and will have the opportunity to learn and make significant contributions during their appointment. In addition to the independent and focus area projects outlined above, postdocs will participate in EBRC core activities (annual meetings and retreats); contribute to EBRC cross-cutting efforts regarding bioeconomy advancement, responsible innovation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion; have opportunities for relevant training in science policy; and meet government officials and policymakers through EBRC events and, when possible, periodic trips to Washington, DC.
The EBRC Science Policy Postdoc is intended as a full time, one year appointment located in the San Francisco Bay Area. All EBRC postdocs will spend roughly 25% of their time working with Doug Friedman (EBRC President) on an agreed-upon individual science policy research project. Postdocs will develop their project based on a topic of interest and consistent with EBRC’s overall mission and strategic goals. Strong projects will leverage the postdoc’s technical background, their policy area of interest, and EBRC’s network and relationships in the engineering biology research community and throughout the US government.
Those interested are encouraged to send their CV and a Cover Letter as a single PDF to EBRC’s Executive Director India Hook-Barnard (ihb@ebrc.org) and copy postdoc@ebrc.org. In your cover letter, please indicate the focus area(s) of interest as well as initial ideas for your independent project.
Diversity statement: EBRC is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education and the engineering biology field through their work.
We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience, as well as a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k)-retirement plan with a 6% match, short- and long-term disability, basic and supplemental life insurance, PTO, and a generous holiday calendar.
EBRC is an equal opportunity employer to all and makes hiring and employment decisions without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Elodie Kadjo is a Ph.D. candidate conducting research in Dr. Alessandra S. Eustaquio’s laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before that she obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is interested in microbial engineering and bioinformatic.
The EBRC 2023 Council Meeting will take place at MITRE, in McLean, VA (Washington, DC) on October 26-27, 2023.
Travel Support and Meeting Hotel:
We anticipate covering airfare and hotel expenses for EBRC Academic Council Members. To book your flights, please contact us at travel@ebrc.org. Please review EBRC’s revised travel policy.
Hotel information will be provided soon.
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. Proof of vaccination will be required for attendance. A rapid antigen testing strategy may also be deployed depending on conditions. Meals will be provided outside.
Mart Loog is a professor of molecular systems biology. Mart received Ph.D. in medicinal biochemistry from Uppsala University, Sweden in 2002, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Francisco. In 2006 Mart established his laboratory at the newly established Institute of Technology. He has received several international fellowships and awards including The Wellcome Trust Senior International Fellowship and a startup research grant from European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). In 2012 he received Estonian National Science Prize in chemistry and molecular biology. In 2015 he was awarded the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant and became a principal coordinator of H2020 an Horizon Europe projects SynBioTEC (2016), GasFermTEC (2018), and DigiBio (2023) to establish the multidisciplinary Estonian Centre for Bioengineering. Mart’s research directions include regulation of the eukaryotic cell cycle, enzymology of cyclin-dependent kinases, multisite phosphorylation processing, and synthetic biology of signaling circuit design. He is leading a laboratory of 20 people and undergraduate and master’s programs in bioengineering.
Publication Date: July 2023
Engineering biology applications could contribute to significant emission cuts and move us toward achieving climate goals by replacing fossil fuels and fossil fuel-derived products with biobased products, transforming agriculture and industries with the introduction of low-emission and eco-friend processes and products, and building climate resilience for urban and rural communities.
Publication Date: July 2023
Recent advances in data science and engineering biology have accelerated the capabilities of microbiome engineering research. To harness these new capabilities and boost innovation, EBRC highlights technical methods, computational tools, testbed infrastructure, and data sharing requirements are in need of federal investment. These efforts should be coordinated across the Federal Government to capitalize on momentum and bolster productivity throughout the field.
Publication Date: July 2023
Deployed engineering biology products have the potential to reshape our environment, agriculture, human health, and more. Such impactful applications necessitate operation outside of traditional biocontainment vessels and thus require renewed biocontainment policies. Herein, EBRC highlights emerging biocontainment research, areas for investment, and horizon scanning activities to promote safe and responsible biotechnology innovation.
Nguyen Tran is a postdoc at Prof. Baetica’s lab at Drexel university. He studies systems and synthetic biology. He completed his PhD in biophysics from Swinburne University of Technology.