Scojen Institute at the ICT Conference: The Nexus Between Biology & Defense
As part of the prestigious ICT Conference at Reichman University in honor of Shabtai Shavit, the Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology hosted a special session titled “The Nexus Between Biology & Defense.” This interdisciplinary panel explored the growing intersection between cutting-edge biological research and national security challenges, highlighting opportunities for collaboration between academia, defense industries, and government agencies.
The session was chaired by Prof. Yosi Shacham-Diamond, Director of the Scojen Institute, with co-chairs Dr. Rotem Berman, former leader of bioconvergence and biological engineering technologies at Rafael and current CTO of Viridys, and Dr. Liat Rahamim-Ben Navi, Scientific and Technical Director of the Scojen Institute.
Distinguished speakers included Prof. Shimshon Belkin, Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who shared insights on environmental biosensing technologies, and Prof. Farren Isaacs from Yale University, a global leader in synthetic biology and cellular engineering. Their talks highlighted the transformative potential of biological research in both civilian and defense contexts.
Complementing the academic perspectives, Dr. Miron from Elbit Systems, Mr. Nimrod from DDR&D, and Dr. Assa Sittner from the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) provided industry and government viewpoints, addressing real-world applications and challenges in the defense and security arenas.
The session emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the vital role of synthetic biology in addressing complex national and global challenges. The Scojen Institute is proud to have facilitated this dialogue, fostering connections that will shape the future of biology and defense.