NSF Convergence Accelerator: Workshop for the Development of Infrastructure for Distributed Bio-Manufacturing and Bio-Readiness

Overview:

The year 2020 is marked by multiple crises in the relationship between humans and their environment, from out-of-control fires to a global pandemic. A transformation of our national manufacturing infrastructure is necessary to address these problems in both highly-urgent and long-term timescales; consequently, our national economy and national security depend on our ability to harness biology to produce therapeutics, materials, and energy on demand. 

The proposed research program will be the foundation of an agile, distributed network of facilities, software, methods, and people. Sharing these resources will create a flexible and deeply resilient capacity that will allow new bio-manufacturing centers to be created quickly in the face of emerging threats or changing conditions. This effort will be inherently interdisciplinary and will require contributions from biologists, engineers, computer scientists, policymakers, legal experts, and business leaders.

Workshop Goals:

This virtual workshop series will initially gather input on three topics

  1. Needs – what is required to make a bio-manufacturing infrastructure that is truly flexible and resilient?
  2. Opportunities – what emerging technologies or lessons learned can be brought to bear on this problem?
  3. Challenges – what are the obstacles that are unique to an effort of this type and scale, and how might we overcome them?

Expected Outcome:

This workshop series will result in a report to the National Science Foundation for consideration as the basis of a future Convergence Accelerator. The Convergence Accelerator is a new NSF capability, designed to address national-societal challenges through a use-inspired convergence research approach. It seeks to identify areas of research where investment in convergent approaches – those bringing together people from across disciplines, united to solve problems – have the potential to translate to high-benefit results and advance ideas from concept to deliverables. This effort could potentially include stakeholders from industry, foundations, government, nonprofits and other sectors.

Dates:

Part 1: September 29th, 30th, and October 1st – 2pm-3pm EST

Part 2: October 6th and 8th – 11am – 3pm EST

Registration:

  • This will be handled by SynBioBeta 
    • If you would like to participate in the workshop, please email Stephen.Hubbard+NSF@synbiobeta.com. You will be registered for the Synbiobeta conference and the workshop.

Organizers:

  • Prof. Douglas Densmore, Boston University
  • Linda Molnar, NSF
  • Stephen Hubbard, SynBioBeta
  • Anissa Cooke, SynBioBeta
  • Devin Strickland, University of Washington
  • Benjamin Keller, University of Washington
  • (More to come)

Agenda:

Day 1: National BioFoundry and BioReadiness Infrastructure Needs – 45 min

  • Convergence Accelerator Introduction – Linda Molnar, NSF – 5 min
  • Introduction to the workshop process – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 5 min
  • Needs Overview Discussions – 16 min
    • Bioengineering Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Infrastructure Engineering Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Industry Perspective – 4 min
    • Law/Policy Perspective – 4 min
  • Breakout discussions – 15 min
    • Bioengineering  Breakout
    • Infrastructure Engineering Breakout
    • Industry Breakout
    • Law/Policy Breakout
  • Wrap up – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 4 min

Day 2: Challenges in setting up a National Biofoundry and BioReadiness Network – 45 min

  • Recap of progress  – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 5 min
  • Needs Overview Discussions – 16 min
    • Bioengineering  Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Infrastructure Engineering Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Industry Perspective – 4 min
    • Government/Policy Perspective – 4 min
  • Breakout discussions – 20 min
    • Bioengineering Breakout
    • Infrastructure Engineering Breakout
    • Industry Breakout
    • Law/Policy Breakout
  • Wrap up – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 4 min

Day 3: Key Opportunities Stemming from a National Biofoundry and BioReadiness Ecosystem– 45 min

  • Recap of progress – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 5 min
  • Needs Overview Discussions – 16 min
    • Bioengineering  Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Infrastructure Engineering Perspective (Technical) – 4 min
    • Industry Perspective – 4 min
    • Law/Policy Perspective – 4 min
  • Breakout discussions – 17 min
    • Bioengineering  Breakout
    • Infrastructure Engineering Breakout
    • Industry Breakout
    • Law/Policy Breakout
  • Wrap up and discussion of Oct 6th and 8th  – Douglas Densmore, Boston University, 7 min

October 6th and 8th Agendas

Tuesday the 6th – “Formulate”

Ideas

Educate

  • Noon – 12:20pm – Review Convergence Accelerator Structure
    • Linda Molnar (NSF)​
  • 12:20-12:30pm – Quick recap of other resources and programs
    • DOE Agile Biofoundry
    • DARPA SD2
    • DoD MII
    • Global Biofoundries Alliance
  • 12:30 – 1pm – Break

Breakout/Working Meeting

  • 1 – 2:30pm – Working groups map Challenges, Needs, and Opportunities to:
    • Need for convergence research
    • Evidence of research community readiness 
    • Scientific and societal needs 
    • Stakeholders and Partnerships
    • Deliverables that could be expected within a two-year research effort 
    • Expected impacts 
    • Track Coherence
  • 2:30 – 3:00pm – Report back on group work

​

​

​

Thursday the 8th – “Refine”

Review

  • 11-11:30am – Review mapping exercise

Stakeholders

  • 11:30 – Noon – Identify “Archetypes” (individuals and groups) for created efforts
  • Noon – 12:30pm – Break

​

 Breakout/Working Meeting

  • 12:30 – 2:30pm – Working groups. TBD based on results from the 6th and previous discussion. Topics include:
    • “Vertical” integration of efforts
    • Further refine topics “horizontally”
    • “Build your own program” – what would you do (team, project, $$, deliverables, etc.)
  • 2:30 – 3:00pm – Report back on group work – workshop ends – next steps

Shared Docs:

NSF_ConvAccel_BioManufacturing_Report_v2_noEmailDownload

More Information: