The American Biotech Blueprint: Senator Todd Young on Biodiversity as National Security

Written By Lizette Couto

Senator Todd Young joins the Grow Everything podcast to discuss the critical intersection of biotechnology and national security, sharing how his military background, Indiana roots, and role as chairman of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology shaped his understanding of the bioeconomy as a strategic imperative.

From DARPA's shelf-stable powdered blood to the America's Living Library Act, a first-of-its-kind effort to sequence the DNA of flora and fauna across US national parks, Senator Young lays out a compelling vision for distributed biomanufacturing, AI-powered biological discovery, and why the US must act now in what he calls a generational tech competition with China. Karl and Erum also recap highlights from Suppliers Day hosted by the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, including biotech-forward exhibitors like Probiotical, Origins by Ocean, Geltor, and the unveiling of BioAtlas, the first open source map of industrial biotech.

Chapters:

  • (00:00:00) - Suppliers Day Recap: Biotech Innovations in Beauty & Personal Care

  • (00:07:00) - BioAtlas: The First Open Source Map of Industrial Biotech

  • (00:09:00) - Setting Up the Interview with Senator Todd Young

  • (00:12:00) - How a Marine Turned Senator Became a Biotech Champion

  • (00:16:00) - Why Biology Is Reshaping National Security in the 21st Century

  • (00:20:00) - America's Living Library Act: Sequencing Our National Parks

  • (00:24:00) - Unlocking New Industries from Spider Silk to Bioluminescent Peaches

  • (00:27:00) - The Biggest Barriers Preventing Biotech from Reaching Scale

  • (00:31:00) - A Vision for Distributed Biomanufacturing Across Rural America

  • (00:37:00) - Quick-Fire Questions, Shout-Outs & Closing Thoughts

Episode Links:

Lizette Couto
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