IBioIC to celebrate International Women’s Day with the launch of new Women in Synthetic Biology network

Set up by Liz Fletcher, IBioIC’s director of business engagement and operations, alongside Sara Holland, senior associate at Potter Clarkson, and Fiona Mischel, director of international outreach at Built with Biology (formerly SynBioBeta), the network is inviting women and underrepresented genders to join them for a range of networking, coaching and training opportunities.

A virtual welcome party will take place on Tuesday 8 March from 4-5pm for anyone wishing to join the group and find out more about its future plans. All genders are welcome, with the first event celebrating the achievements of women and underrepresented genders in the bioeconomy.

Liz Fletcher said: “Scotland’s bioeconomy is accelerating at pace but women are still in the minority in the synthetic biology field – particularly at leadership and board level. We hope to build a community that enables women to connect with one another and support career development. There are fantastic opportunities for women in synbio to translate their research into business ideas and make an impact on the world, and we want to help them with that journey.”

The network is believed to be the first of its kind globally, and will focus on both the challenges and opportunities women working in the bioeconomy currently face.

Sara Holland said: “The network will provide a safe and non-intimidating space where women and others can reach out for help with all aspects of their career in biotechnology – whether it is founding their own company, working in academia or anything else. The possibilities of what synbio can do are endless – often limited only by our imaginations.”

Fiona Mischel added: “We are creating a space where women and underrepresented genders can support one another – it’s easy to feel alone in the struggles of navigating academia or founding a company, but when we’re connected with like-minded individuals who can share their own experiences, we can grow and develop together.”