Synthetic Biology: The Sword in the Stone to Defeat Devastating Diseases

On July 17th, 2014 the House held a hearing titled: Subcommittee on Research and Technology Hearing Policies to Spur Innovative Medical Breakthroughs from Laboratories to Patients

Witnesses

Dr. Harold Varmus, Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) *(Really liked your DNA tie!)

Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President and Carson Family Professor, Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair, The Rockefeller University

Dr. Jay Keasling, Hubbard Howe Jr. Distinguished Professor of Biochemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; Professor Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley; Director, Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center

Dr. Craig Venter, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, J. Craig Venter Institute, Synthetic Genomics, Inc., and Human Longevity, Inc.

This hearing featured a selection of some of the most qualified and influential professionals in the industry, all of which provided informative positions that respectfully represented the biotech industry as a whole. In general, the hearing covered ideal Federal funding for biotech, the importance of R&D and basic science research, the state of the industry in the United States and the competition with other leading nations. The witnesses shared ways to further improve the industry with ideas like more support for partnerships and providing new incentives, such as awards, to investors and investigators.

Subcommittee Chairman Larry Bucshon (R-IN), presented opening remarks:

We are already starting to see commercial applications from engineering biology. Since this emerging field could have significant economic benefit for the United States, it is important that we make the necessary federal investments in both the foundational research and across the potential application areas.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson stated that his intentions were to create a bill to help create further growth in the industry by calling for greater involvement from the Federal Government:

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Synthetic Biology: The Sword in the Stone to Defeat Devastating Diseases