HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle

3-D Printing DNA: Hacking Life's Code and Creating New Organisms

Views: 800
Q&A With Cambrian Genomics' Austen Heinz
---
"To think that we can't make organisms that aren't more efficient than existing, I don't think is correct," says Austen Heinz, founder of the biotech startup Cambrian Genomics. "Because nature doesn't have DNA laser printers, and we do."

Reason TV's Zach Weissmueller sat down with Heinz to discuss the ramifications of a technology that dramatically brings down the cost of sequencing and assembling DNA, suddenly making the ability for consumers to create their own organisms an economic reality. Heinz partnered with a company to crowdfund a "glowing plant," which led to a subsequent ban on GMO-related projects on Kickstarter, and he expresses concern with the lagging regulatory structure governing biotech development. But Heinz is undeterred by regulatory and cultural obstacles and foresees a future where consumers can affordably leverage his technology to fix errors in their own DNA or even design their own creatures in the same way that 3-D printing companies like MakerBot allow for custom models.

"With MakerBot, you would print out, say, a plastic dinosaur. With Cambrian, the idea is that eventually you'll be able to print out your own little dinosaur that actually walks across the table," says Heinz. "Everything around us is just code. Wouldn't it be great if we could just snap our fingers and just re-imagine the world around us, where everything is programmable, everthing is re-writeable?"

Approximately 10 minutes. Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Justin Monticello. Music by Chris Zabriskie.

Scroll down for downloadable versions of this video, and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube channel for daily content like this.
@ReasonVidsfollow
Thumbnail for FCC's Ajit Pai: Net Neutrality is a "Solution That Won't Work to a Problem That Doesn't Exist"31:16
FCC's Ajit Pai: Net Neutrality is a "Solution That Won't Work to a Problem That Doesn't Exist"
ReasonVids
911 views
Thumbnail for Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'26:13
Is Nick Bilton's Book on Ross Ulbricht and the Silk Road a 'Media Lynching?'
ReasonVids
882 views
Thumbnail for Stossel: NYC Government Traumatizes Gun Owners5:46
Stossel: NYC Government Traumatizes Gun Owners
ReasonVids
890 views
Thumbnail for Morticians Association of America Endorses President Obama's Tough New Fuel Efficiency Standards1:14
Morticians Association of America Endorses President Obama's Tough New Fuel Efficiency Standards
ReasonVids
943 views
Thumbnail for Freeing Louisiana Florists: Licensing Law is Blooming Nonsense - Case Launch Press Conf7:09
Freeing Louisiana Florists: Licensing Law is Blooming Nonsense - Case Launch Press Conf
IJvids
966 views
Thumbnail for Reason-Rupe Poll on Fixing California, Prop 30 and Rolling Back State Spending2:03
Reason-Rupe Poll on Fixing California, Prop 30 and Rolling Back State Spending
ReasonVids
851 views
Thumbnail for Would More Gun Control Lead to More Crime? A Debate1:37:24
Would More Gun Control Lead to More Crime? A Debate
ReasonVids
697 views
Thumbnail for Porker of The Month for October 2010: Debbie Wasserman Schultz!1:40
Porker of The Month for October 2010: Debbie Wasserman Schultz!
ReasonVids
870 views
Thumbnail for 5 Facts About Guns, Schools, & Violence2:27
5 Facts About Guns, Schools, & Violence
ReasonVids
880 views
Thumbnail for Average russian trench0:59
Average russian trench
voatcatbox
474 views
Thumbnail for The State of Jefferson Moves One Step Closer to Reality2:14
The State of Jefferson Moves One Step Closer to Reality
ReasonVids
954 views
Thumbnail for Fighting Youth Discrimination: Q&A with NYRA President Jeffrey Nadel4:30
Fighting Youth Discrimination: Q&A with NYRA President Jeffrey Nadel
ReasonVids
809 views
Thumbnail for Why Democrats Should Vote Libertarian This Year, According to Libertarian Party Members3:27
Why Democrats Should Vote Libertarian This Year, According to Libertarian Party Members
ReasonVids
836 views
Thumbnail for How the Anti-Bully Movement is Hurting Kids: An Interview with Bully Nation's Susan Porter6:26
How the Anti-Bully Movement is Hurting Kids: An Interview with Bully Nation's Susan Porter
ReasonVids
832 views
Thumbnail for the little jew nailed it0:08
the little jew nailed it
bestofupgoat
68 views
Thumbnail for Wag More Dogs: Continuing the Fight2:03
Wag More Dogs: Continuing the Fight
IJvids
953 views
Thumbnail for Rancho Relaxo (The Simpsons)2:35
Rancho Relaxo (The Simpsons)
clips
925 views
Thumbnail for What Does Star Wars *Mean*?: A Reason Argument Hotter Than the Twin Suns of Tatooine31:58
What Does Star Wars *Mean*?: A Reason Argument Hotter Than the Twin Suns of Tatooine
ReasonVids
838 views
Thumbnail for Remy: Why They Fought2:19
Remy: Why They Fought
ReasonVids
922 views
Thumbnail for Remy: The First Noel (Ballot Access Parody)1:46
Remy: The First Noel (Ballot Access Parody)
ReasonVids
881 views
Thumbnail for Net Neutrality Nixed: Why John Oliver is Wrong4:11
Net Neutrality Nixed: Why John Oliver is Wrong
ReasonVids
815 views

points

Permalink
Reply
3d printing, dna (chemical compound), genetically modified organism (film subject), gmo, technology, biotechnology (industry), biotech, silicon valley (region), libertarian, regulation, fda, reason magazine
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle