Synthetic Biology—the Future of Food?

In her interview with The Verge, Biologist and Creative Director Christina Agapakis of Ginkgo Bioworks discusses lab-grown meat, labeling, and how synthetic biology can help make products which are more sustainable and ethically sourced such as lab-grown meat. The Food and Drug Administration recently held a public meeting regarding the topic. Agapakis explained that one of the largest hurdles facing synthetic biology is labeling. She points to recent research which found that people are more willing to accept genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food if it is clearly labeled as such. Other large obstacles facing synthetic biology are costs of labor, supplies, and scaling up. Read more of the interview with Agapakis here.