John Cumbers

“I am interested in deciphering human complexity in terms of wellness and disease. I guess you would describe me as a multi-disciplinary human biologist.” That is Dr. Lee Hood @ISBLeeHood in one quote. We're excited and honored to have Dr. Leroy Hood speaking at SynBioBeta 2026, May 4-7th in San Jose, California, you can learn more about the conference and get your tickets here: syntheticbiologysummit.com/?utm_source=Li… For more than six decades, Lee Hood has built the tools that let biology see deeper. At Caltech, he and his collaborators developed the automated DNA sequencer, DNA synthesizer, peptide synthesizer, and gas-phase protein sequencer. Those tools helped make genomics, proteomics, and modern drug discovery possible. Now he is pointing to the next frontier: the dark proteome. This is the vast layer of proteins and proteoforms that conventional methods still cannot fully read. The genome gave us the parts list. The proteome tells us what biology is actually doing, in real time, across wellness, disease, aging, and therapeutic response. That is why protein sequencing matters so much. New platforms are beginning to close the gap. Pumpkinseed is using silicon nanophotonic chips and label-free Raman spectroscopy to read individual peptides. @DARPA PROSE program is pushing toward de novo protein sequencing at massive scale. And Hood is now making the case that comprehensive protein-level data could transform peptide drug discovery. His prediction is bold: peptide drugs could remake the pharmaceutical industry over the next decade. This is exactly the kind of conversation SynBioBeta was built for. You can read about protein sequencing online. But the real outcomes happen in person. Relationships are built in the room. Deals happen in the room. Breakthroughs happen in the room. I’m thrilled that Leroy Hood will be joining @jendionne , @susanklaeger , and @mkoeris on the Main Stage for a session on the dark proteome and the future of biology’s next great readout. Visit the SynBioBeta website to read the full article synbiobeta.com/read/leroy-hoo…

At 5 PM today in San Jose, #SynBioBeta2026 officially begins. The New Attendee Reception is the first event of the conference, and it's the perfect on-ramp: grab your lanyard, walk the venue, and start meeting the people you'll be running into for the next four days. First impressions matter, and this is where they happen. Sponsored by Hawkwood Biotech Partners, the SF-based industrial biotech consultancy and Venture Firm that has been in the room for some of the biggest scale-up stories in the field, from fermentation to commercialization to fundraising. They know this space cold, and they're showing up in force tonight. Look for Vatshal Bhanushali, Emily Hopkins, MBA, Logan Roberts, Sanya Sehgal, Tony Day, and Richard Kenny on the floor. Register: luma.com/qa9og62f

Deviation Capital just launched with a $300M fund target, and founding partner Dusan Perovic will be at #SynBioBeta2026 this week in San Jose looking for the next generation of founders to back. Deviation spun out of @TwoSigmaVC with a clear thesis: back technical founders harnessing data and computing to build enduring companies at the intersection of life sciences and engineering. Partners Colin Beirne, Jonathan Golden, Sidney Costabile, and Dusan Perovic have been investing in this space together for over a decade. AI, data science, and computing are unlocking problems in biology and medicine that were previously out of reach. Deviation was built to fund the founders doing that work. If you're building at the intersection of bio and engineering, Dusan is here this week. Find him at @SynBioBeta 2026, May 4-7 in San Jose. Tickets and full program at the link below. 🔗 syntheticbiologysummit.com/?utm_source=X&…

A year of planning. Thousands of emails. More calls than I can count. We're finally here. The team is on the floor at the San Jose Convention Center setting up for #SynBioBeta2026, and it's hitting me just how much has gone into this. The speakers, the sessions, the conversations that are about to happen, this is what we've been building toward. If you don't have your ticket yet, now is the time. The people in this room over the next few days are going to shape where synthetic biology goes next. You don't want to watch that from the sidelines. @SynBioBeta is May 4-7th in San Jose, California, you can learn more about the conference and get your tickets here: syntheticbiologysummit.com/?utm_source=X&…

If this thread changed how you think about aging, give me a follow right here. I break down the latest longevity and health research from the world's top scientists into simple takeaways you can actually understand. New threads like this posted here every week.

If longevity is your world, the investors, partners, and scientists shaping this industry will be in the room. You won’t want to miss it. Purchase your ticket here: syntheticbiologysummit.com/tickets?utm_so…

Most people will read about Sinclair's work years after it happens. A few hundred will be in the room when he explains it live. On May 6th, he's taking the BioSynBeta stage to walk through the science behind slowing and reversing aging.

David Sinclair just did a 25-minute live Q&A on aging, longevity and AI. Here are the top 9 questions the audience asked him and his answers to each one: 1) How can GLP-1 drugs be used in longevity protocols?

Bottom line from Sinclair: We are living in the most exciting time to be alive for human health. Longevity medicines will be bigger than GLP-1s. AI is accelerating his work by centuries. And at least half of how long you live is still up to you.

9) What is the most powerful longevity tool? Peter Diamandis answered this one. If you believe you can live longer, that you have purpose, and that you are needed in society, that is as important as what you eat or how you sleep. A NAS study found optimists live 15% longer than pessimists.

8) Is your comfortable life killing you? "We are no longer in an adversity world." Sinclair says we never feel cold, hot, or hungry anymore. Your body was built for stress. Sauna, cold water, and exercise are the easiest ways to give your body the "healthy stress" it needs.

7) How do you reverse atherosclerosis? "I have not seen anything as powerful as nattokinase." It is an enzyme from fermented soybeans that helps break down the plaque inside your arteries. That plaque buildup is what leads to heart attacks and strokes.

6) Why should you eat stressed plants? "We evolved to sense stress in plants as a heads up food is running out." The polyphenols in stressed plants tell your body to protect itself. He recommends to eat dark greens and colored vegetables.

5) Can ALS be reversed? "For the first time, it is reversible." ALS was permanent - the nerves it destroys were thought to be gone forever. Now his lab is regrowing them in animals.

4) Can AI help reverse aging? "We are doing what would have taken hundreds of years." His lab uses AI to scan billions of molecules, finds which ones reverse aging, and even spot connection between aging and cells that nobody on his team saw.

3) How much of your lifespan is genetic? The old belief was 10 to 15% was genetic. A recent paper challenged it and said the number could be closer to 50/50. Nobody knows exactly, but at a minimum, he believes at least half your lifespan is up to you.

2) Can you override your genetics? Yes, you can. Sinclair's father is proof: • His Ashkenazi Jewish family died in their 70s • Sinclair's grandmother had a stroke in her 30s His father changed how he lives and now living longer than any ancestor in their family ever has.

Sinclair supports GLP-1s as weight loss is the biggest longevity benefit. New data shows it also has heart and brain benefits. He says talk to your doctor if you're thinking of using it. He also mentions one downside to factor in is 20 to 30 thousand Americans per year have a specific condition called NAION where taking it makes them blind.