George Church is Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of PersonalGenomes.org, which provides the world’s only open-access information on human Genomic, Environmental & Trait data (GET). His 1984 Harvard PhD included the first methods for direct genome sequencing, molecular multiplexing & barcoding. These led to the first genome sequence (pathogen, Helicobacter pylori) in 1994 . His innovations have contributed to nearly all “next generation” DNA sequencing methods and companies (CGI-BGI, Life, Illumina, Nanopore). This plus his lab’s work on chip-DNA-synthesis, gene editing and stem cell engineering resulted in founding additional application-based companies spanning fields of medical diagnostics ( Knome/PierianDx, Alacris, AbVitro/Juno, Genos, Veritas Genetics ) & synthetic biology / therapeutics ( Joule, Gen9, Editas, Egenesis, enEvolv, WarpDrive ). He has also pioneered new privacy, biosafety, ELSI, environmental & biosecurity policies. He is director of an IARPA BRAIN Project and NIH Center for Excellence in Genomic Science. His honors include election to NAS & NAE & Franklin Bower Laureate for Achievement in Science. He has coauthored 480 papers, 130 patent publications & one book (Regenesis).
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GapSummit is the premier, global, intergenerational biotechnology summit that attracts world leaders and the next generation of leaders to substantively discuss pressing challenges facing the bioeconomy and catalyze innovation to address these challenges.
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GBR is a not-for-profit that connects biotech think-tanks, industrial leaders and research pioneers to young bio-leaders of tomorrow. GBR is solely led by young passionate and engaged researchers, students and professionals from across the world. GapSummit is GBR’s flagship event to advance its mission of developing and inspiring the next generation of leaders in the global bio-economy.
