Synthetic Biology 5.0: The Fifth International Meeting on Synthetic Biology will take place at Stanford University from 15-17 June 2011. Learn more and register for the conference at sb5.biobricks.org.
The Scientist has an article on Is this life?. Check out the links to opinions on artificial life and the definition of synthetic biology from Endy, Venter, Keasling, Church, Noireaux, Holt, and Blattner.
MIT, the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, MD, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. announce a new study of the societal implications of synthetic genomics. Press releases: MIT, CSIS and Venter Institute. Synthetic Genomics Study
Synthetic Genomics, Inc. has been launched to develop "scientific processes to enable industry to design and test desired genetic modifications."
Codon Devices, Inc. is founded to "pioneer the emerging field of synthetic biology."