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Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

Grow Everything Biotech Podcast

Written by: Messaginglab
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 Grow Everything reveals the world of biology as technology. Hosts Erum Khan and Karl Schmieder interview leaders and influencers biologizing industries with tools like synthetic biology, precision fermentation, bioprospecting, and more. These companies make biomaterials from waste, cosmetics that restore healthy hair and skin, and delicious cultivated foods in a bioreactor and so much more. Join us as we discuss the latest and greatest across biotech, synbio, entrepreneurship, and culture and how this transition is solving healthcare and climate change challenges.Messaginglab Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • 165. Biology Behind the Brands: Inside P&G’s Two-Century Story

    165. Biology Behind the Brands: Inside P&G’s Two-Century Story
    Jan 23 2026
    Karl and Erum sit down with Amy Trejo and Jose Carlos Garcia Garcia from Procter & Gamble to uncover how one of the world's largest consumer goods companies is leveraging biotechnology to innovate at unprecedented scale. Founded 189 years ago as a bio-waste upcycling partnership between a candle maker and a soap maker, P&G has always been rooted in biomaterials innovation—from pioneering laundry enzymes in the 1960s to developing cold water enzyme technologies that have saved billions in energy costs. Amy and JC reveal what makes biotech innovations stick in the marketplace (hint: it's all about performance), share candid advice for startups hoping to partner with P&G, and explain why the company views biotech as a critical enabler of both sustainability and superior consumer experiences. They discuss common misconceptions about working with large CPG companies, the importance of reducing ideas to practice, and how P&G's connect-and-develop model creates win-win partnerships that can impact billions of consumers worldwide. Whether you're a biotech founder, investor, or enthusiast curious about how innovative materials make it from lab to everyday products, this conversation offers rare insights into the intersection of consumer goods, biotechnology, and global scale manufacturing.Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:(00:00:00) - Introduction and Opening Remarks(00:01:00) - Erum's Article on Industrial Biomanufacturing for Lichen Ventures(00:04:00) - The Vision of Boom Towns and Interplanetary Innovation(00:07:00) - Introduction to Amy Trejo and JC Garcia Garcia from P&G(00:11:00) - Amy and JC's Backgrounds and Roles at P&G(00:13:00) - Biotech Innovations Throughout P&G's 189-Year History(00:19:00) - What Makes Biotech Innovations Stick: Performance Over Everything(00:22:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Partnering with Large CPG Companies(00:29:00) - How to Approach P&G: Show Product, Generate Data, Demonstrate Performance(00:31:00) - The Power of Reapplication Across Product Categories(00:35:00) - Successful Biotech Partnerships: SK-II, Align, New Chapter, Base Camp Research(00:39:00) - What Catches P&G's Attention at Conferences and Trade Shows(00:42:00) - The Role of Storytelling in Biotech Innovation and Consumer Engagement(00:47:00) - Five-Year Vision: The Future of CPG and Biotech Partnerships(00:49:00) - One Piece of Advice for Biotech Innovators: Reduce Ideas to Practice(00:52:00) - Quickfire Questions with Amy and JC(00:53:00) - Closing Thoughts: Impacting Billions of Lives Through Partnership(00:54:00) - Karl and Erum's Recap and Key TakeawaysLinks and Resources:Procter & Gamble (P&G)P&G Connect + DevelopP&G PartnershipsStellar: A World Beyond Limits and How To Get ThereIndustrial Biomanufacturing Needs Its Manhattan Project Moment by Erum Azeez Khan107. Glow Big or Go Home: Andy Bass's Journey with Glowing Oceans17. Beauty and the Biome with Jasmina Aganovic of ArcaeaTopics Covered: biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineeringHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 164. From Plasmids to Pallets: How Erin Marasco Scales Biology at Cargill

    164. From Plasmids to Pallets: How Erin Marasco Scales Biology at Cargill
    Jan 16 2026

    We kick off our CPG series with Dr. Erin Marasco, Senior Director of Global Biology at Cargill, who leads innovation in ingredient discovery, strain development, and biotech applications. Erin takes us on a fascinating journey from the fundamentals of fermentation to the complexities of scaling biotech products from lab bench to global supply chains. We explore Cargill's 30-year history in biomanufacturing, discuss why terms like "precision fermentation" might be doing more harm than good, and learn what it really takes for startups to partner with multinational companies. Erin shares insights on feedstock diversity across continents, the future of nutritional bioactives in everyday foods, and why success in biotech means moving from "novel" to "preferred." This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in how biology is quietly transforming every aisle of the grocery store.

    Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?


    Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Chapters:

    • (00:00:00) - Introduction & New Year Kickoff — Welcome to 2026 and the start of our CPG series!
    • (00:01:00) - JP Morgan Conference & South Africa Travel
    • (00:05:00) - New Food Pyramid Controversy
    • (00:10:00) - Introducing Erin Marasco & Cargill's Role in Biotech
    • (00:17:00) - Where Biotech Creates Real Leverage at Cargill
    • (00:21:00) - Demystifying Fermentation: Why Now?
    • (00:26:00) - How Cargill Partners with Startups
    • (00:30:00) - Biggest Misconceptions About Working with Big Companies
    • (00:33:00) - What Product Readiness Means to Cargill
    • (00:38:00) - Plasmids to Pallets: Successful Partnership Examples
    • (00:47:00) - Feedstock Diversity Across Continents
    • (00:53:00) - The Future: Nutrition as Everyday Food
    • (00:58:00) - Quick Fire Questions & Retiring "Precision Fermentation"
    • (01:03:00) - Wrap-Up & What's Next in the CPG Series

    Links and Resources:

    • Cargill
    • Cargill Fermentation Blog
    • Fermentation: nature's original biotech by Cargill
    • Cantabria Labs (sunscreen from plant extracts)
    • Viro - Sugarcane Straws
    • Sawubona Mycelium
    • Heliocare Cantabria Labs
    • Andreesen Horowitz, VC fund, raised a $15 billion

    Topics Covered:

    biotech, industry, biomanufacturing, bioprocessing, agriculture, agritech, strain engineering, biotech R&D, feedstocks, chemical engineering, bioengineering

    Have a question or comment? Message us here:

    Text or Call (804) 505-5553

    Music by: Nihilore

    Production by: Amplafy Media
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • 163. Consulting the Crystal Ball of Biology: Karl & Erum's 2026 Predictions

    163. Consulting the Crystal Ball of Biology: Karl & Erum's 2026 Predictions
    Jan 9 2026
    Karl and Erum kick off 2026 by reviewing their 2025 forecasts—celebrating the wins (DeSci's rise, waste as a resource, AI-biology convergence) and acknowledging the misses (no biotech M&A boom, no quantum biology breakthrough yet). Then they unveil their boldest predictions for the year ahead: the first functional AI-composed genome entering production, a major non-sterile biomanufacturing facility breaking ground, biological arbitrage creating competitive advantages against tariffs, consumer-held health records surpassing traditional medical data in clinical significance, space-manufactured drug crystals entering human trials, definitive proof of alien life, and AI-enabled communication with whales and other animals. They also welcome Lizette Couto, who joins the podcast to provide science definitions and explanations throughout episodes going forward. From dirty biology manifestos to peptide proliferation to interspecies communication, this episode maps the frontiers where synthetic biology, AI, space technology, and consumer adoption collide. Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chapters:(00:00:00) - 🎙️ Welcome to 2026: The Year Biology Gets Real(00:01:00) - Introducing Lizette Couto: Science Definitions and Podcast Updates(00:03:00) - 2025 Predictions Review: Using AI to Analyze Episodes(00:04:00) - What We Got Wrong: H5N1, Quantum Biology, and M&A Activity(00:10:00) - What We Got Right: DeSci's Rise and the BIO Token(00:12:00) - Waste as a High Value Resource: Agricultural to Urban Applications(00:14:00) - Onshoring and Government Funding: A Crushing Year for Science(00:18:00) - AI and Biology Convergence: From Reading to Composing Genomes(00:20:00) - Microbiome and Longevity in Mainstream Culture(00:23:00) - 2026 Prediction #1: The First AI-Composed Genome Goes Into Production(00:26:00) - 2026 Prediction #2: Major Non-Sterile "Dirty Biology" Manufacturing Facility(00:30:00) - 2026 Prediction #3: Biological Arbitrage Creates 15-20% Margin Advantage(00:34:00) - 2026 Prediction #4: Consumer Health Records Become More Significant Than Medical Records(00:36:00) - 2026 Prediction #5: Consumer Biotech Gains on Industrial Biotech (The Bathroom Shelf Wins)(00:41:00) - 2026 Prediction #6: Space-Manufactured Drug Crystals Enter Human Clinical Trials(00:44:00) - 2026 Prediction #7: We'll See Proof of Alien Life(00:48:00) - 2026 Prediction #8: AI Enables Clear Communication with Whales and Other Animals(00:51:00) - Closing Thoughts and Upcoming CPG Series PreviewLinks and Resources:H5N1 bird fluNovo Nordisk Quantum Computing Program145. Decentralized Science 101: Defining DeSci with the Experts146. Pump It Up: Benji Leibowitz on DAO-ing Science Differentlybio.xyzHairDAOMango Materials123. From Gas to Glam: Molly Morse Discusses Mango Materials' Biodegradable InnovationsIndustrial Microbes113. Microbe Mission Possible: Noah Helman Discusses iMicrobes' Quest to Turn Waste into WealthSymmetry Wood154. No Trees Were Harmed: Symmetry Wood's Gabe Tavas on Growing Wood from WasteNIH and NSF alarming funding cutsOneSkinEVO 2122. Ecohacking the Planet: Daniel Goodwin of Homeworld Collective Brews Up Planetary-Scale SolutionsThe Future of Science: Modernizing the U.S. Scientific Enterprise152. Crystals in the Cosmos: Varda Rewrites Drug Formulation in MicrogravityTopics Covered: biotech, industry, predictions, biomanufacturing, consumer biotechHave a question or comment? Message us here:Text or Call (804) 505-5553 Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media
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    52 mins
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