Imagine you can build a living cell from scratch the same way you build a computer. You choose every part based on its function, required specifications. You program in what it can sense, what it does in response to certain molecules it detects, how long it lives, even where it goes.
That’s what Anton Jackson-Smith is building at b.next bio. He took an unconventional path from self-taught software engineer & hacker at an early age in Queenstown —> Otago Law student —> Stanford PhD in Bioengineering —> founder of b.next bio — building synthetic cells from scratch to make biology truly programmable 🧬👨💻
Instead of modifying existing cells like E. coli—which are messy and unpredictable—he and his team are starting from scratch, mixing together just the essential ingredients of life: DNA, proteins, lipids, and energy molecules.
And once you can build a cell from the ground up, you can program it—just like software. Want it to detect a disease and light up? Want it to manufacture a specific molecule, fight cancer, or clean up pollution? Just write the right “code” into the DNA.
This one was totally over my pay-grade, to start with... so in today's Diaspora.nz episode:
In this conversation, we cover:
• How synthetic cells could power the next generation of therapeutics and diagnostics
• Why biology needs its own “AWS moment” and how open source can unlock it
• The real business model behind synthetic biology (and why it's not just science)
• How Kiwi strengths in agriculture and biotech could shape a global future
• What New Zealand needs to do to retain and return its brightest minds
Anton also shares his vision for a safer, more ethical bio-economy, and how we can build powerful new tools without repeating the mistakes of the past.
Time Stamps
01:21 What is a synthetic cell—and why should you care?
06:44 How Anton fell into biology (thanks to an E. coli article in Vietnam)
11:12 Why modifying real cells isn’t enough—and what BNext is doing differently
16:30 The near-term use cases: cancer, diagnostics, and food
22:47 How Nucleus is creating the open-source toolkit for biology
30:14 Three phases of BNext’s business model: Boot → Build → Bazaar
37:10 The big vision: programmable biology that saves lives
44:18 What New Zealand’s biotech future could look like
47:30 Returning talent, building bridges, and bringing brains back home
Resources
🙋🏻♂️ Anton Jackson Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonjacksonsmith
🧬 B Next Bio:
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