Nobel Laureate Thomas Südhof and bit.bio CEO Mark Kotter to Lead Fireside Chat on Programming Human Cells at SynBioBeta

CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- bit.bio, the company coding human cells for novel cures, and a pioneer in the field of synthetic biology, today announces it will participate in an engaging fireside chat at SynBioBeta 2024 featuring Nobel Laureate Thomas Südhof and bit.bio founder Mark Kotter. Dr. Südhof, a world-renowned molecular and cellular neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University, will be joined by Dr. Kotter, a stem cell biologist, neurosurgeon at the University of Cambridge, and CEO of bit.bio, to discuss “Programming Human Cells: The Next Frontier of SynBio for Human Health.” The fireside chat will explore how the new paradigm of cell programming, combined with our ability to read, write and execute genetic code, opens unprecedented opportunities for improving human health. The discussion will be held during the closing plenary session at SynBioBeta on Thursday, May 9th, from 4-6 pm PT at the San Jose Convention Center in California.

“Reducing cell identity to a core set of transcription factors helps to address the challenges associated with the differentiation of pluripotent human stem cells and potentially allows precise definition of cell identity and function,” said Dr. Thomas Südhof, Director of Stanford University School of Medicine’s Centre for Molecular Neuroscience in Health and Disease. “I’m encouraged to see companies such as bit.bio developing this paradigm for the benefit of patients worldwide and I look forward to discussing the vast possibilities that the future holds with Dr. Kotter.”

“Dr. Südhof’s groundbreaking work on cell programming represents a paradigm shift in biology,” said Dr. Mark Kotter, CEO of bit.bio. “The new paradigm in stem cell biology enabled bit.bio to build a platform capable of recreating any human cell type and to manufacture cell products with consistency and at scale. These advancements have created the ability to democratise access to cell therapies.”

“The fireside chat between Thomas Südhof and Mark Kotter exemplifies the meeting of inquisitive minds and revolutionary ideas in the field of synthetic biology,” said John Cumbers, founder and CEO of SynBioBeta. “We’re starting to see the vision of synthetic biology become a reality and companies like bit.bio are demonstrating that it’s now possible to program and reprogram human cells and transform biology from a scientific endeavour into an engineering one, with tremendous opportunities for improving human health.”

bit.bio at SynBioBeta 2024

bit.bio is set to take centre stage at SynBioBeta, participating in several key events during the conference that brings together the brightest minds in engineering biology. In addition to the highly-anticipated fireside chat featuring Südhof and Kotter, bit.bio will host a VIP reception on May 8th from 7 pm PT. This reception will provide a unique opportunity for conference attendees to network and engage with leaders in the synthetic biology community.

bit.bio will also participate in two other Main Stage panel discussions:

• Functional Genomics for Target Identification: Successes, Challenges and New Opportunities; May 9th 2.45-3.30 pm PT
• Gene Meets Cell: The SynBio Evolution in Targeted Therapeutics; May 9th 4.45-5.15 pm PT

SynBioBeta attendees can visit bit.bio’s booth #301 in the Main Exhibit Hall, where they can discover groundbreaking advancements in cell coding. opti-ox™, bit.bio’s deterministic cell programming and manufacturing technology, has the potential to revolutionise the manufacturing of human cells, enabling consistent and scalable production for research, drug discovery, and cell therapy.

About bit.bio

bit.bio is a synthetic biology company focused on human cells that is advancing medicine (UN SDG9) and enabling curative treatments (UN SDG3). The company does this by industrialising the manufacture of human cells and making them more accessible. The company was spun out of the University of Cambridge in 2016 and has since raised approximately $200m from investors such as Arch Venture, Foresite Capital, Milky Way, Charles River Laboratories, National Resilience, Tencent, Verition Fund and Puhua Capital.

bit.bio’s opti-ox™ precision cell programming and manufacturing technology enables conversion of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into any desired human cell type in a single step. This can be achieved within days and at industrial scale, while maintaining exceptional purity and unparalleled consistency.

Our discovery platform extends this approach to any desired cell type by identifying the transcription factor combinations that define cell states (including identity, cell subtype identity, maturity) using high throughput screens and advanced data analysis. We believe that opti-ox can revolutionise regenerative medicine similarly to how CRISPR is unlocking gene therapy.

bit.bio’s cell therapy pipeline, based on txCells™, is focused on serious diseases that lack effective treatments. Our current therapeutic development areas include metabolism and endocrinology, immunology and neurology. Our lead candidate, bbHEP01 based on txHepatocytes, is in development as a treatment for patients suffering from acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Complementing our internal pipeline, we have a collaboration with BlueRock Therapeutics (a wholly owned independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG) focused on regulatory T cell (Treg) based cell therapies.

In addition, our extensive ioCells™ research cell product portfolio, which includes ioWild Type Cells™, ioDisease Model Cells™ and ioCRISPR-Ready Cells™, is opening up new possibilities for studying human biology and developing new medicines in both research and high-throughput and high-content drug discovery.

For more information, please visit:
www.bit.bio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitbioltd/

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