Jennifer Doudna’s Introduction:
Jennifer Doudna welcomes everyone to the fireside chat at the IGI. She invites attendees to mute their lines and submit questions via the chat box. Doudna expresses gratitude to the IGI team for their efforts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights the contributions of individuals like Andy, Megan, Clarice, Melanie Cantorudi, Christy, Yulia, Edward, Arianna, and Lucy.

Introduction of Brad Ringeisen as the New Executive Director:
Brad Ringeisen is introduced as the new executive director of the IGI. Doudna emphasizes Ringeisen’s deep scientific knowledge and organizational skills, making him an ideal choice for the role. She explains the motivation behind hiring an executive director to lead the IGI and ensure its effectiveness.

Doudna’s and Weissman’s New Roles:
Jonathan Weissman, co-founder of the IGI, has moved to the Whitehead Institute and will serve as chair of the scientific advisory board. Doudna will chair the governance board, setting the strategic direction and fundraising for the IGI.

Brad Ringeisen’s Background and Motivation:
Ringeisen will share his scientific background and explain what drew him to the IGI.

Background and Career Path:
Brad Ringeisen has a diverse background in scientific research, ranging from cell printing and bioprinting to microbial fuel cells and extracellular electron transfer of bacteria. He worked as a postdoc at the Naval Research Laboratory, where he conducted experiments on printing living mammalian cells and bacteria. He led a section at the Naval Research Laboratory called biofabrication and bioenergy, focusing on cell printing and microbial fuel cells.

Program Management Experience:
Ringeisen transitioned from bench research to program management roles, gaining experience outside of academia. He managed programs at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and DARPA, focusing on field forward diagnostics, paper lateral flow diagnostics, synthetic biology, infectious disease research, and neurotechnology.

DARPA Contributions:
As a program manager at DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office, Ringeisen oversaw investments in Moderna and Inovio vaccines, chikungunya vaccine, antibody discovery, and antibody manufacture. He also led the Safe Genes program, emphasizing safety precautions for gene editing technologies. He collaborated on the PREPARE and DIGIT programs, exploring transcriptional editing, epigenetic editing, and diagnostics development using gene editing.

Application Focus:
Ringeisen emphasized the importance of applied research, taking scientific discoveries from the laboratory and bringing them into practical applications, particularly in the context of national emergencies like 9-11 and COVID-19. He highlighted his experience in taking basic technologies and tools from the laboratory and developing them for clinical applications.

DARPA’s Investments in Fundamental Research:
DARPA has made significant investments in fundamental research, even in areas where success was uncertain. These investments have paid off, as evidenced by the development of nucleic acid vaccines and antibody-encoding genes as a result of DARPA’s early support.

IGI’s Mission to Bridge Fundamental Research and Real-World Applications:
The IGI aims to take fundamental research and ensure it has a broad impact on those who need it. The IGI is committed to making fundamental science and discoveries accessible and affordable to all. The IGI strives to educate people about technology and its impact on their lives.

Jennifer Doudna’s Personal Commitment to IGI’s Mission:
Doudna feels deeply committed to ensuring that fundamental science and discoveries are used to address real-world problems. She believes that the IGI, as part of one of the world’s best public universities, has a unique opportunity to make a difference.

IGI’s Focus on Affordability, Accessibility, and Education:
The IGI is dedicated to making its research and discoveries affordable and accessible to everyone. The IGI emphasizes the importance of educating people about technology and its potential impact on their lives.

IGI Mission Statement:
IGI’s mission is to bridge revolutionary gene editing tool development to affordable and accessible solutions in climate and human health. Envisioning a world where genomic technology is routinely applied to cure genetic disease, enable sustainable agriculture, and achieve a carbon-neutral economy.

IGI’s Two Pillars:
IGI focuses on two pillars: Human health and gene therapies. Net carbon-neutral economy.

Biotechnology and Genomics in Climate and Health:
IGI believes that biotechnology and genomics technology can play an integral role in addressing climate and health challenges. This area has not received enough public attention. IGI’s focus on these areas positions it strongly for the future.

IGI’s Strengths and Uniqueness:
IGI’s focus on both genetic disease and climate change makes it distinctive. IGI’s multidisciplinary approach incorporates chemistry, material science, protein chemistry, immunology, molecular biology, microbiology, and tool discovery. IGI’s location in the Bay Area provides access to top-tier institutions and intellectual capital.

IGI’s People and Intellectual Environment:
IGI’s exceptional faculty, postdocs, undergraduates, and staff are dedicated and passionate about making an impact. IGI’s commitment to equity and accessibility in research and technology development is inspiring.

Breaking Down Silos in Academia:
IGI aims to break down traditional silos in academia, fostering collaboration and interdisciplinary research.

Brad Ringeisen’s Motivations and Vision for IGI:
Brad Ringeisen believes that biotechnology and gene editing can serve as equalizing factors, making these technologies accessible to a wide range of individuals and not just a privileged few. His goal at IGI is to enable everyone to benefit from these advancements, ensuring that the benefits of biotechnology are not limited to the top individuals or organizations.

IGI’s Collaborative Efforts during the Pandemic:
Under Jennifer Doudna’s leadership, IGI has fostered extensive collaboration with donors, scientists, and various institutions, including Berkeley and UCSF. The establishment of a clinical testing lab on the Berkeley campus facilitated interdisciplinary research, attracting significant funding and support. This collaborative environment has nurtured a sense of community among scientists, fostering interactions and opportunities that might not have been available otherwise.

Brad Ringeisen’s Approach to Problem-Solving:
Ringeisen emphasizes the value of bringing together diverse experts from different disciplines to generate innovative solutions to complex challenges. He believes that collective brainstorming sessions, where individuals with varying perspectives come together, lead to unique and orthogonal ideas that might not emerge from individual work. IGI aims to serve as a virtual room where material scientists, chemists, molecular biologists, and microbiologists can collaborate seamlessly to tackle problems.

Brad Ringeisen and Jennifer Doudna’s Memorable Lab Experiences:
Ringeisen recounts an incident where he accidentally broke a glass pipette while working with a microbial fuel cell, resulting in a hand injury that required stitches and paperwork. Doudna shares an anecdote about a co-worker who accidentally spilled trichloroacetic acid on herself in the lab, leading to an impromptu stripping and emergency shower situation. Ringeisen narrates another incident where he forgot to plug a giant diffusion pump, causing acetone to leak and damage the floor tiles, earning him the nickname “big problem” among his grad school peers.

Brad Ringeisen’s Hidden Talent and Family Background:
Ringeisen reveals his passion for pool, which he has played since he was five years old. Growing up in the town of Clemson, South Carolina, where his parents worked at Clemson University, he had access to a pool table at home and developed a love for the game.

Brad Ringeisen’s Pool Expertise:
Brad Ringeisen enjoyed playing pool as a child, often competing with professors at Clemson University during dinner parties hosted by his parents. He became so skilled that other professors would bet money on him to defeat their colleagues. He even had a special stool to help him reach the pool table. At DARPA, there are pictures of him performing trick shots in pool.

Jennifer Doudna’s Upbringing and Interests:
Doudna grew up in a small town in Hawaii with parents who were academics but not scientists. She was the “science nerd” in the family and loved figuring things out from a young age. She was interested in body surfing, but never learned to board surf.

Brad and Jennifer’s Shared Passion for Science:
Both Ringeisen and Doudna have a passion for science and feel like “geeks” in their fields. They are excited to bring their passion to work at the IGI and continue their important research.

IGI’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
Doudna acknowledges the importance of diversity and inclusion within the IGI. She emphasizes the IGI’s desire to create a welcoming environment for black scientists.

Hiring Practices:
IGI is looking to improve hiring practices by reaching out to diverse communities. The Institute’s goal is to hire a more diverse workforce and create a more inclusive environment.

Collaboration with HBCUs:
IGI plans to partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The goal is to offer internship opportunities and expose students to the field of scientific research. This collaboration will help create a pipeline of diverse talent for the Institute.

Community Outreach:
IGI is expanding its outreach efforts to local schools and organizations. The aim is to inspire students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science. The Institute hopes to create a more inclusive community where everyone feels welcome and supported.

Internship Programs:
IGI is exploring the possibility of creating internship programs specifically for students from HBCUs. These programs would provide students with hands-on experience in scientific research and help them build their skills. The Institute believes that internship programs can help increase the diversity of the scientific workforce.

Social Science and Economics at IGI:
IGI recognizes the importance of social science and economics in its work. These fields help the Institute understand the broader implications of its research and develop policies that promote the responsible use of technology. IGI aims to integrate social science and economics into its research and decision-making processes.

IGI’s Unique Societal and Economic Focus:
IGI’s priority is not profit-making but promoting equity and accessibility in biotechnology and genomics. It aims to address ethical, economic, and societal aspects of genomic research and innovation. IGI seeks opportunities to combine scientific and societal objectives in its projects.

Sustainability and Financial Model:
IGI is developing a robust financial model to sustain its operations and societal impact initiatives. The model will include direct donations supporting core functionality and societal impact. IGI will seek funding for operational needs alongside funding for specific scientific projects.

Responsible Use of Technology:
IGI emphasizes responsible use of technology, particularly genome editing. The Institute aims to ensure public understanding of technology and its applications. IGI scientists actively engage in discussions on responsible technology use and accurate information dissemination.

Military and Government Partnerships:
Brad Ringeisen, IGI’s incoming Director, has a unique exemption from the one-year cooling-off period for former DARPA employees. He can advise and assist universities and partners in obtaining government funding. Ringeisen encourages researchers to contact him for guidance on accessing funding opportunities.

Challenges and Opportunities:
IGI faces the challenge of fostering collaboration between diverse organizations. The Institute aims to create a truly bi-campus organization bridging UCSF and UC Berkeley. There is unanimous support from university leadership for IGI to be the crossroads between the institutions. Buy-in from the ground up and a clear roadmap are needed to make the bridge a reality.

IGI’s Financial Footing:
Ensuring a strong financial basis for the Institute is a key challenge. The team has successfully raised funds during the pandemic for immediate needs. Raising money for specific projects and supporting core operations are important.

IGI’s Strategic Priorities:
The Institute aims to avoid spreading resources too thin and diffusing its efforts. Focusing on specific priorities and aligning projects with the Institute’s mission is crucial. The new development team will emphasize targeted funding rather than dispersing funds across numerous projects.

IGI’s Team Dynamics and Communication:
Having a dedicated and talented team is essential for the Institute’s success. The new leader emphasizes active listening, communication, and addressing concerns. The Institute encourages feedback and suggestions from its stakeholders. Adapting communication methods, such as virtual meetings, during challenging times is necessary. The goal is to maintain strong team dynamics and facilitate collaboration.