Biology is one of the most advanced technologies on Earth. Imagine a cell phone that can grow, reproduce and repair itself. This is exactly what the cells of every organism, from bacteria to giant sequoias, can do. Today’s breakthrough technologies allow us to find biological solutions to critical challenges: how to heal, feed and provide for the needs of humanity and the planet. Huge passion, competition, and seeking adrenaline are also a part of our biological body. Nowadays, technology allows us to feel it staying at home. If you are risky and willing to test your luck you should get more info about online live betting in Nigeria.
What Is Driving This Industry?
There are three main trends that are driving this industry: digitalization of biology, improvement of computers and learning machines, and automation.
Technologies such as DNA synthesis, sequencing, and sensors are becoming more accessible, enabling the transition from analog biology to digital data and then to analog synthetic biology.
Advances in artificial intelligence enable the use of many digital biology datasets.
The need for manual laboratory testing is reduced. Tasks that previously required months or even years of work are now completed. They can be replicated. This greatly accelerated the scientific method.
These trends are accelerating the iterative cycle of development, construction, testing, and learning. As a result, scientific discoveries happen more often. Innovations appear faster and companies can build more robust and diverse processes for developing and partnering across different products.
The TechBio Possibilities
Platform companies have a special role in this area. They have many ways to achieve the goal and enter the market. An example is Moderna, which became widely known during the pandemic.
One of the founders of Moderna is Robert Langer. Initially, the company was going to work in the field of oncology and HIV, but when the pandemic struck, it had a unique opportunity to quickly reorganize and create a vaccine.
Moderna has never positioned itself as a vaccine or drug manufacturer. As soon as the Chinese scientists were able to sequence the proteins of COVID-19, the data arrived at the Moderna laboratory on the same day. Two days later, a working prototype of the vaccine was ready, and testing could begin.
From digital to analog, from analog to digital. This is how platform companies in the TechBio field work.
Mammoth Biosciences
Mammoth Biosciences focused on Cas systems that could be used for diagnostics of DNA and RNA detection. Later the team discovered even more Cas proteins that made genome editing technology more accurate and easier to implement. Today, Mammoth is a billion-dollar project that is collaborating with Vertex and Bayer on therapeutics with the potential to cure all genetic diseases and with AstraZeneca and the US government on diagnostics.
The Mammoth platform discovers new CRISPR proteins, describes them, and looks for applications for them. She can find the right tool to solve a specific biological problem from diagnosis to therapy. The approach can be repeated and scaled up to provide data for further experiments.
Mana.bio
For some platform companies, the way to stay competitive is to produce new data. Projects like Mana are particularly good at this.
The Mana.bio data collection team uses open sources, combines information with internal data, and obtains new, verifiable protocols.
This approach is effective because it allows you to learn from mistakes. You won’t find data about failed experiments in scientific journals, but such a platform allows you to take into account their experience.
Models at TechBio
TechBio projects can operate as a horizontal or vertical business and generate early revenue by acting as a contracted research organization. They have unique properties, and other companies are willing to pay or cooperate with them.
They can receive milestone payments, and royalties, earn on subscriptions and take advantage of all the opportunities that are not available to a business that takes on only one asset. Platforms can also work horizontally, producing a wide variety of products, including consumer goods.
The role of scientists
Typically, scientists rarely run companies. They are usually replaced by people with business experience. However, according to the head of NFX, TechBio is an industry in which scientists can establish a successful startup.
This opportunity suits a Ph.D. who does not want to limit his work to scientific research and is looking for applications in the real world to help people and make his mark.
Now is the best time to solve the world’s problems. Science has never been so important for the future. The next phase of human progress will be led by founding scientists who will create the TechBio companies that make this future possible.
The future seems to be interesting. Every day is something new.
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