Dear 2021 SynBioBeta Conference Participants,It’s an understatement to say that we are living in challenging, unprecedented times. SynBioBeta recognizes the unique demands placed upon us as a science-based organization doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having worked in the entertainment industry for over 35 years, crowd safety has always been a driving force behind every decision made, as profitability must never be allowed to supersede the welfare of its participants, attendees, or staff. With all the negative news that has surfaced over the past few weeks (Delta resurgence, UN Climate Report, wildfires worldwide), we truly believe that there’s never been a greater need for the synthetic biology community to come together, celebrate the amazing progress made over the past 18 months, and collaborate on game-changing solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. We contend that solid science, when underpinned by selfless motives, will be able to develop, produce, and distribute services and products to help solve these problems and that the beginning of so many breakthroughs start at in-person conferences. So, in moving forward, please know that we at SynBioBeta are doing everything in our power to produce a safe, productive, and fun industry reunion. We’ve spent the last several weeks vetting the feasibility of hosting a live conference in October or if we should postpone the live event until the variant is under control. We are discussing the situation with experts, comparing notes with city/state officials, and then based upon our research, we will make an informed final decision.Important to note: We have moved forward the live conference to Jan. 25-27 2022 and will implement a “safety first” protocol requiring proof of vaccination, a negative COVID test within 72 hours of onsite attendance, and would honor all state/ local guidelines regarding mask mandates. In conclusion, I leave you with this message of hope penned by Jacob Glanville, Founder and CEO of Centivax, and look forward to seeing you all in January!Thanks to multiple rapid successful synthetic biology, medical, and technology advancements, we are now armed with vaccination, breakthrough detection, and transmission management resources to enable in-person conferences in the pandemic. These technologies speak to the successes of innovation in synthetic biology mobilized in response to the viral threat, and should not only be applied but celebrated, as SynBioBeta can act as a beacon for how other conference organization groups can effectively resume in-person meetings and will attract and vitalize the synthetic biology and technologist communities to understand how the work from their community has enabled the return of the new normal. Thank you for your ongoing support, trust, and belief.Frank TateCEOSynBioBeta