James J. Collins is Termeer Professor of Bioengineering in the Department of Biological Engineering and Institute for Medical Engineering & Science at MIT. He is also affiliated with the Broad Institute and the Wyss Institute. His research group works in synthetic biology and systems biology, with a particular focus on using network biology approaches to study antibiotic action, bacterial defense mechanisms, and the emergence of resistance. James will join SynBioBeta founder John Cumbers for a conversation about the state of the synthetic biology industry. In light of COVID-19, we’ll also ask what the coronavirus pandemic means to innovation, our community, and our relationship with society. They’ll discuss:

• How synthetic biology has surpassed expectations, and the work that remains
• What his experience tells him about his outlook on the coronavirus response
• How coronavirus is shaping the public relationship with science
• The most important trends of the next five years

Friday, April 3, 2020, 8 am Pacific