Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

• 133. Funding, Frameworks & Frenemies: Dr. Angela Belcher of NSCEB Gets Real on the $15B Biotech Boost Plan

  Karl and Erum speak with Dr. Angela M. Belcher, MIT professor and pioneer in bioinspired materials, about how biology can transform the way we manufacture sustainable technologies. Drawing inspiration from how abalone build shells and viruses assemble structures, Angela shares how her lab uses genetically engineered viruses—like M13 bacteriophage—to grow batteries, solar cells, and cancer-targeting materials at room temperature without harmful chemicals. Her work reimagines the periodic table as a design toolkit and shows how nature’s strategies can help us build cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable solutions.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off with Biology, Innovation & Big Ideas00:00:21 - AI, Simulation Theory & Prompting the Future00:01:57 - Fungi Meets Art: Mycelium’s Creative Frontier00:02:44 - Can Synthetic Biology Save the Planet?00:05:54 - Meet Dr. Angela Belcher: Visionary in Biofabrication00:06:29 - Abalone Shells: Nature’s Blueprint for Smart Materials00:14:13 - Biotech Meets National Security: A Strategic Frontier00:25:23 - Building Tomorrow’s Scientists: Starting with Kids00:26:09 - Sparking Curiosity in the Next Generation00:27:00 - Science in Motion: Dodge Ball & Discovery00:27:53 - Resurrecting the Past: Biodiversity Through Time00:30:01 - Tackling the Grand Challenges in Biomanufacturing00:32:02 - From Bench to Nation: Scaling U.S. Biotech00:36:03 - Mining, Carbon & Clean Tech: A Greener Path00:38:42 - The Future of Biofabrication: What Comes Next?00:40:53 - Angela’s Journey: Curiosity, Grit & What’s Ahead00:43:32 - Final Reflections: Science, Society & What Matters MostLinks and Resources:⁠NSCEBNSCEB REPORT: Charting the Future of Biotechnology GenspaceBen Lamm on Joe Rogan ExperienceScientists use synthetic biology to address urgent sustainability challengesThe Age of Living Machines by Susan Hockfield⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinoutsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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• 132. Bond. Enzyme Bond. CurieCo's Erika Milczek on Replacing Chemicals with Biotech

  Karl and Erum sit down with Erika Milczek, CEO and founder of Curie Co, to explore how synthetic biology is rewriting the rules of modern chemistry. Erika, a former Merck chemist, shares her journey from Big Pharma to launching a biotech startup that engineers enzymes to replace legacy chemicals in personal care and consumer goods. With insights grounded in regulatory shifts, manufacturing scalability, and the power of directed evolution, Erika discusses how her team is building a “biotech alternative to petroleum-based chemistry.” Whether you're curious about enzyme engineering, bioindustrial startups, or how synthetic biology can drive sustainability in everyday products, this episode delivers a high-energy, deeply technical, and inspiring dive into the future of materials innovation.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:00:00:00 - Welcome to the Future: Setting the Stage00:00:22 - Juggling Labs, Life, and Launchpads00:01:27 - Terraforming Mars? Let’s Dream Big00:04:58 - Joe Rogan, Speciation, and Sci-Fi Tangents00:10:08 - Biotech Beauty Week: Innovation on Display00:14:13 - Meet Erika Milczek: Enzymes Over Everything00:33:03 - Feeding the Bug: The Spark Behind Discovery00:35:15 - Scaling Science: What Makes Commercialization Hard00:35:51 - Why Partnerships Make or Break Biotech00:38:02 - Following the Rules: Regulatory Shifts & Product Strategy00:42:48 - From the Lab to RTP: Building in Biotech's Backyard00:45:37 - Ecosystem First: How to Build Bio Economies00:50:01 - Fundraising Real Talk: Investors, Guts & Growth00:53:50 - Biomanufacturing Is Just Getting Started00:56:29 - Let’s Talk Packaging: Biotech’s Next Frontier00:59:52 - Wrapping Up: Lessons, Hope, and What’s NextLinks and Resources:Curie CoMars: One Day on the Red Planet (film)Marsbound by Joe Haldeman (book) The case for Mars terraforming research (Erika de Benedicts research paper)Ben Lamm on Joe Rogan ExperienceDire Wolf on the cover to Time MagazineSupplier's Day 2025 during Messaginglab's unofficial Biotech Beauty WeekCapsum - microfluidics contract manufacturingP2 company - conditioning agents⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinoutsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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• 131. Leaf It to Science: How Foray Bioscience's Ashley Beckwith is Reforesting the Future

  Karl and Erum are joined by Dr. Ashley Beckwith, Founder & CEO of Foray Bioscience, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of biomaterials and the emerging role of plant culture in shaping it. Ashley unpacks how Foray is pioneering new approaches to growing materials directly from plant cells, redefining how we produce, restore, and preserve biological resources. The episode explores the untapped potential of plant culture in bioproduction, ecosystem restoration, and biodiversity preservation when applied with care and intention. Ashley shares her path from growing up in Colorado to pursuing mechanical engineering and bioengineering, and how that interdisciplinary foundation ultimately led her to start Foray. Throughout the conversation, Ashley describes how Foray is building the foundational infrastructure for plant culture. The company develops core capabilities from the ground up and then partners with others to scale and specialize applications. This platform-based approach reflects Foray’s belief that unlocking the full potential of plant systems requires a collaborative ecosystem rather than the efforts of a single company.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:00:00:00 - Kicking Off with a Big Question: Can We Rebuild Nature from the Cell Up?00:00:15 - Summer Vibes and Bio Talk: Memorial Day Weekend Catch-Up00:00:46 - Synbio Beta Sparks: The Pulse of Next-Gen Biotech00:02:27 - Argentina to IndieBio: The Unstoppable Founders You Need to Know00:04:01 - Biotech Gets Corporate: The Rise of Strategic Venture Funds00:05:11 - Deal Flow & Discovery: HC Wainwright’s Biotech Bash00:08:18 - Brooklyn Bio Buzz: A Night Out with the Community00:10:24 - From the Explorers Club to Seed Vaults: Sci-Fi Meets Soil00:11:22 - Meet Dr. Asheley Beckwith: Engineering the Future of Fashion with Cells00:27:35 - Biology Meets Ecology: How Engineered Plants Could Aid Conservation00:30:12 - Sci-Fi to Soil: Fabricating Seeds for Extinct Ecosystems00:32:21 - The Wild Frontier: Overcoming the Barriers in Plant Cell Cultivation00:45:52 - Nature Meets Code: Using AI to Unlock the Secrets of Plants00:50:20 - Imagining Tomorrow: The Vision Behind ForayBio’s Living Materials00:51:50 - Full Circle: Final Reflections from the Edge of BiodesignLinks and Resources:⁠Foray BiosciencesSF500 (Argentinian Global Venture Fund)Syensqo Corporate Venture FundH.C. WainwrightUniversity of Vermont - Dr. Steve KellerUniversity of Maryland - Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinoutsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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• 130. SynBioBeta 2025 Recap: Hyperscale Biology

  In this energetic recap of SynBioBeta 2025, Erum and Karl bring listeners straight into the heart of the year’s most important synthetic biology gathering. From Drew Endy’s visionary keynote on distributed, localized manufacturing to the ever-present theme of AI as the enabler of hyperscale biology, this episode unpacks the biggest ideas shaping the future of biomanufacturing and materials innovation. The duo reflect on how the conference architecture—from hallway conversations to main stage moments—facilitated cross-disciplinary collisions and bold discussions about biology as the foundational infrastructure of the 21st century. Whether you're a bioengineer, startup founder, or investor, this debrief connects the dots between culture, technology, and sustainability in the evolving bioeconomy.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:00:00:00 – Kicking Off with Erum & Karl: SynBio Banter and Big Energy00:00:34 – Straight from San Jose: SynBioBeta 2025, Unpacked00:01:05 – Imagining 2050: Drew Endy's Blueprint for a Biological Future00:02:25 – Bio Meets Geopolitics: Why Localized Manufacturing is Liberation00:03:20 – Not Just Biology—Infrastructure for a New Economy00:03:45 – Who is Drew Endy? The Mind Behind SynBio’s Movement00:04:32 – Inside the Conference: Boots on the Ground at San Jose00:05:29 – Hyperscale Bio is Here: AI + SynBio = Exponential Potential00:07:16 – Biopharma in the Hot Seat: What’s Holding the Sector Back?00:09:20 – Protein Design Gets Creative: Custom-Built Biology Takes Stage00:19:53 – Space, Security, and the Pentagon’s Synthetic Playbook00:28:42 – Best of the Breakouts: Panels, Pitches, and Power Moves00:32:02 – Bio Beyond the Hype: What Practitioners Really Need to Know00:32:29 – The Dirty Biology Manifesto: Getting Real with Nature00:33:14 – Strategic Alliances Panel: Where Collaboration Meets Competition00:33:52 – Deal Drama: Why Biotech Partnerships Are So Hard to Land00:37:48 – Beauty in 2030: The Biodesign Revolution in Personal Care00:39:22 – State of Funding: Who's Still Betting on Biotech?00:41:59 – Rethinking Capital: Creative Models for SynBio Startups00:46:43 – Longevity, Hype, and the Future of Human Lifespan00:53:12 – What We Learned: Reflections, Revelations, and Real Talk00:54:16 – Final Words: Gratitude, Community, and What’s NextLinks and Resources:SynBioBetaDrew Endy – Stanford ProfessorConstructive BioBiomatterCradle BioIFF (International Flavors and Fragrances)BIOMADEDARPA BTONASARhodium ScientificLinkgevityAmplify VenturesStarlab SpaceCultivariumAmple AgricultureCargillP&GInsempraBIOWEGHawkwood BiotechGreen BioactivesCellugyOneSkinPlasmidsaurus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinoutsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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• 129. No Cells? No Problem! eXoZymes' Michael Heltzen on the Future of Microbe-Free Biotech

  Erum sits down with Michael Heltzen, CEO of eXoZymes, to dive into the transformative world of cell-free biomanufacturing. Michael shares the origin story of ExoZymes—from a student bioengineering dream at UCLA to ringing the NASDAQ bell—and unpacks why scalability, sustainability, and design thinking are central to the next generation of biotech. If you're curious about how biology can be engineered without living cells, what it takes to commercialize breakthrough science, or how new business models in synthetic biology are emerging, this is the episode for you. Get ready to rethink what’s possible when biology breaks free from the cell wall.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:00:00:00 – Unlocking a New Era: Rethinking Natural Resources for the Future00:00:17 – SynBioBeta Afterglow: Late Nights, Big Ideas, and Bio Buzz00:02:39 – Breaking the Cell Wall: The Power of Cell-Free Biomanufacturing00:03:33 – Meet Michael Heltzen: The Visionary Behind the Next Bio Revolution00:09:54 – Inside NCTX: The Molecule That Might Change Everything00:16:06 – No Scale, No Impact: Tackling SynBio’s Toughest Bottlenecks00:26:43 – From Supplements to Cures: Bio’s Leap Across Sectors00:27:19 – AI x Enzymes: Cracking Nature’s Code in Real Time00:28:06 – Making Biology Predictable: ML Meets Molecular Design00:30:14 – Faster Than Nature: How AI Shrinks Production Timelines00:33:29 – Go-to-Market Moves: Biotech Strategy for the Real World00:36:07 – Bio Click™: Targeted Enzymes with Industrial Precision00:38:38 – Life After the Bell: IPOs, Growth, and Big Bio Energy00:42:29 – Zooming Out: Big-Picture Thinking for What Comes NextLinks and Resources:eXoZymesNCTx BioClick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Topics Covered: biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinoutsHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grow Everything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: [email protected] by: NihiloreProduction by: Amplafy Media

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