Life Technologies (LIFE) Spending $100 Million In Synthetic Biology

SGI and its founders are world leaders in the design and construction of synthetic genomes, where DNA can be assembled in the laboratory and used to create or modify cells and whole genomes. Synthetic biology can have applications across a number of fields, from the development of new sources of fuel, to products such as new vaccines that will improve human health. While the initial business focus of SGI has centered on bioenergy, the company has now extended its focus to the areas of food production, clean water and vaccine development. One of SGI’s main business programs is with Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering Group, a long term research and development alliance focused on finding and optimizing algae to efficiently produce biological crude oil replacements. The program utilizes both synthetic genome techniques as well as other more traditional metabolic engineering techniques. SGI was founded by Dr. J. Craig Venter and Nobel Laureate Hamilton Smith.......................&more