In December 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, the world population surpassed 7.8 billion people. And it’s projected to grow to 9.9 billion by 2050. Feeding close to eight billion people is no easy task and it's one that we are currently failing at. According to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 report, 690 million people consistently go without food and that is predicted to increase to over 840 million by 2030.

The environmental impact of animal product creation and consumption is also daunting. Food production and distribution are responsible for 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Of that 26%, more than a third comes from emissions from manure and pasture management, fuel use from fisheries, and methane from cattle digestion. Agricultural eutrophication which is the pollution of the ocean and freshwater by nutrient-rich pollutants is responsible for 78% of the global pollution. Half of the livable land on Earth is already used for agriculture. Global demand for meat is expected to increase by more than 70% between 2011 and 2050. With our expanding world population and expanding demand for meat, there will not be enough livable land to accommodate both. We are racing towards a dangerous food security crossroad: there is not enough arable land in the world for us to accommodate this increase in demand for meat-based on how we produce it. …

INNOVATION

Worms are helpful and necessary creatures that also happen to make the majority of the general population squeamish. I personally think their relationship with early birds and recreational fishing habits seems a little unfair. Hookworms are a different story. These intestinal parasites enjoy humanity as their host of choice. Often they live and reproduce undetected in the intestines after larvae are either ingested or allowed to penetrate human skin after a person walks barefoot on contaminated soil. The risk of contracting hookworm increases in warm and moist climates when proper sanitation is not available. …

ART

Human beings have been bringing innate curiosity and creativity to our interactions with nature since before our written history. This partnership with the world around us results in biotechnology; technology that is built from or harnesses the biological world around us. But scientists are only one element of this partnership. The other foundational members are artists.

It is a non-negotiable fact that the biotechnology being created today will affect all of our lives- whether we understand it or not

This means that while not everyone will be involved in the collaborative process of biotech creation, we should all be a part of the conversation around the ethical and moral ramifications of this technology. Making transparency a priority, at every step of discovery, will cultivate trust as we work to build a more equitable society. Artists play the essential role of increasing participation in this conversation. …

VIRUSES

SARS-CoV-2 has been wreaking havoc as a global pandemic since March 2020. Over the past seven months, scientists around the world have grappled with this virus that has infected 38.3 million people and claimed over 1 million lives. Unfortunately, in the midst of all the chaos, other types of infection and disease haven’t gone away. And while this virus has been particularly deadly, the destructive nature of other viruses is being harnessed to save lives.

Bacteriophages, commonly referred to as phages, are viruses that infect bacteria. Discovered by two scientists, Frederick Twort and Felix d’Herelle, these viruses are the most prolific organisms on earth. Some estimate that there are so many phages in the world that for each grain of sand on the planet there are approximately a trillion phages. Due to the sheer number of phages that exist, they can be found pretty much everywhere, from the ocean to our gut microbiome. Bacteriophages are an interesting vehicle for treating bacterial infections because they only attack bacteria, not human cells. …

BUSINESS

Most people have been affected in some way by cancer. Scientists around the globe are diligently working to try and find new solutions to this disease. But what if the solution was actually found in innovating a known drug not currently effective enough for treatment regimes?

SciTech Development is a company built in response to the National Cancer Institute’s call to solve a problem with the already available oncology drug fenretinide considered ineffective in comparison to other drugs. …

CAREERS

Translating my love of science and business into a meaningful career does not have an intuitive roadmap. So to build one, I focused on finding business mavericks to learn about how they built careers of impact. A special highlight of this experience has been speaking with Matthias Berninger, Head of Public Affairs, Science, and Sustainability at Bayer.

Matthias has certainly crafted a bold, unconventional, and innovative career. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Kassel, he was elected four times to the German Parliament as a member of the Green Party. After leaving politics, he moved to Mars working in several positions including the Global Chocolate Management Team to challenge the corporate strategy status quo in sustainability and communication. Since joining Bayer in 2019, he has led the development of the company’s global sustainability strategy. Under his leadership, Bayer is working to reduce its operational emissions by 42% in 2030. …

CAREERS

Bioeconomy.XYZ writers have been leading dialogue around a particularly important topic — the importance of the Ph.D.

Alexander Titus’s article “PhD not required” has certainly made waves as he challenges the limitations of this gold standard as he presents the novel thought that impact within this space is not constrained to possessing a certain type of educational background. Joseph Buccina picks up the metaphorical baton as he answers the question “If a PhD is not required … then what is?” He gives tangible insights for how to grow within the bioeconomy without a doctorate. …

CAREERS

For those of us looking to take the first steps in our careers right now — wow — what a time to be alive. Attempting to secure employment during stay-at-home orders, hiring freezes and large scale layoffs is a frustrating endeavor. I don’t even want to think about the number of hours I spent trying to write compelling cover letters about why companies should want to hire me when the world felt like it was falling apart. For me personally, finding a career that combined my love of science and business was a challenge. …