Microbes surround us and enhance our lives in almost innumerable ways. These helpful micro-machines catalyze
key reactions required to produce our favorite foods—cheese, coffee, yogurt, chocolate and bread among others—and perform important services including crop fertilization and environmental clean up. But this may only be the beginning, says Sarah Richardson, CEO and co-founder of biotech startup MicroByre.
On this episode of Talking Biotech, Richardson joins University of Florida plant scientist Kevin Folta to explain how her company aims to bring wild bacteria that perform important chemical functions under human control. In a world where more than 6,000 products are made from fossil fuels, these domesticated microbes represent an untapped resource that could one day be used to sustainably produce everything from clothing to medicine that can treat infections.
Sarah Richardson is a molecular biologist and CEO of MicroByre. Follow her on Twitter: @theGermWrangler
Kevin M. Folta is a professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida. Follow professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta and email your questions to [email protected]
The Talking Biotech podcast, produced by Kevin Folta, is available for listening or subscription:
Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS | Player FM | Pod Directory | TuneIn
