The Climate Biotech Podcast

Auteur(s): Homeworld Collective
  • Résumé

  • Are you fascinated by the power and potential of biotechnology? Do you want to learn about cutting-edge innovations that can address climate change?

    The Climate Biotech Podcast explores the most pressing problems at the intersection of climate and biology, and most importantly, how to solve them. Hosted by Dan Goodwin, a neuroscientist turned biotech enthusiast, the podcast features interviews with leading experts diving deep into topics like plant synthetic biology, mitochondrial engineering, gene editing, and more.

    This podcast is powered by Homeworld Collective, a non-profit whose mission is to ignite the field of climate biotechnology.

    © 2025 The Climate Biotech Podcast
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Épisodes
  • Meet the Founders, Part 2: Homeworld Collective's Executive Director, Daniel Goodwin
    Feb 20 2025

    (Recorded July 2024)

    In this episode, Paul Reginato—co-founder of Homeworld Collective—turns the mic on Dan Goodwin, Homeworld’s co-founder and Executive Director, to explore his journey from near-failures in Boise, Idaho, to becoming a trailblazer in climate biotechnology.

    Dan reflects on how his formative years at Harvey Mudd College and his time at Stanford under AI visionary Fei-Fei Li, coupled with his innovative stint at IDEO, ignited his passion for entrepreneurship and shaped his visionary approach. His story highlights the power of timing, collaboration, and resilience in transforming challenges into opportunities.

    Together, they discuss the pressing hurdles facing climate biotech—from scalability issues to market forces that lag behind sectors like medical biotech and software development—and explore the critical need for centralized hubs of innovation. With a forward-thinking nonprofit approach, they discuss empowering practitioners to tackle the soluble problems at the intersection of climate and biotechnology.

    Tune in as Dan and Paul emphasize the importance of starting with well-defined problems and draw inspiration from initiatives like the COVID fast grants to accelerate high-quality research funding. Dan also shares invaluable advice for aspiring biotechnologists, sprinkling in insights from historical breakthroughs like Peter Mitchell’s ox-phosphorylation discovery. Through Homeworld Collective, they envision a future where collaboration and innovation drive exponential growth in climate biotech.

    (00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
    (00:31) Meet the Founders: Dan Goodwin's Journey
    (01:44) Dan's Early Life and Education
    (03:29) Transition to Entrepreneurship and AI
    (11:39) The Birth of Homeworld Collective
    (14:23) Challenges in Climate Biotech
    (17:33) Homeworld's Mission and Garden Grants
    (29:33) Advice for Aspiring Biologists
    (31:51) Dan's Favorite Science Factoids
    (33:26) Future Vision for Homeworld Collective
    (41:28) Closing Remarks and Thank You

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    42 min
  • Proteins in Organic Solvents: Engineering Enzymes for Sustainable Chemicals Manufacturing with Samuel Thompson
    Feb 13 2025

    Join us as we explore the innovative world of protein engineering with Samuel Thompson. Samuel's work focuses on engineering proteins to function in organic solvents, environments that would be hostile to traditional cell-based life. This approach has significant implications for bridging the gap between the enzymes market and the trillion-dollar specialty chemicals market, potentially leading to decentralized chemical production with a much lower environmental footprint.

    In this episode, Samuel shares their personal journey, from growing up in West Texas to their current role as a postdoc at Stanford and the University of Washington. They discuss how their queerness informs their science and the long-term vision they have for their work a commitment to solving complex problems often overlooked by mainstream science. With support from the Homeworld Collective, Samuel is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in protein engineering, aiming to create sustainable solutions for chemical production that could transform industries in the decades to come.


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    48 min
  • The Biological Key to Atmospheric Methane Removal with Sam Abernethy and Paul Reginato
    Feb 6 2025

    Join us as Sam Abernethy, Methane Removal Scientist from Spark Climate Solutions, and Paul Reginato of Homeworld Collective explore why tackling methane could be even more impactful than focusing on carbon dioxide in the near-term. Methane's potent warming potential and short-lived nature make it a high-leverage target for climate mitigation.

    We delve into nature’s own methane eaters—methanotrophs—and how they could help reduce atmospheric methane levels. From bioreactors to genetically engineered plants expressing methane monooxygenase, we highlight promising biological solutions that could reshape methane mitigation strategies.

    However, innovation comes with challenges. Sam and Paul discuss the complexities of engineering enzymes for methane breakdown, the hurdles of accurate methane measurement, and the importance of scientific collaboration. These challenges underscore the need for continued research and development in the field.

    From agricultural lands to Arctic permafrost, we explore the ethical and technological questions surrounding methane interventions—and the efforts to shape the future of the field, positioning it as a key strategy in the fight against climate change.

    (00:00) Introduction to the Climate Biotech Podcast
    (01:49) Meet Sam Abernethy
    (03:01) Understanding Methane and Its Impact
    (06:59) Methane Removal: Challenges and Opportunities
    (11:35) Biological Atmospheric Methane Removal
    (24:30) Workshop Insights and Future Directions
    (39:20) Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Remarks

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    44 min

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