Life Tech Bets $10M on Synthetic Genomics

[Updated: 12:15 pm, 6/3/10] Life Technologies (NASDAQ: [[ticker:LIFE]]), the Carlsbad, CA-based maker of lab supplies and instruments, has invested $10 million out of an equity financing that could be worth as much as $50 million for San Diego-based Synthetic Genomics, the startup co-founded by genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter, according to a regulatory filing. Synthetic Genomics, like the name suggests, uses synthetic biology techniques to create or modify cells or genomes of different organisms. The startup is seeking to apply its technology to clean energy, clean water, food production, and vaccines. [Update: this story reflects the dollar amount invested, which wasn’t included in Life Technologies’ original statement on June 2.]

Author: Luke Timmerman

Luke is an award-winning journalist specializing in life sciences. He has served as national biotechnology editor for Xconomy and national biotechnology reporter for Bloomberg News. Luke got started covering life sciences at The Seattle Times, where he was the lead reporter on an investigation of doctors who leaked confidential information about clinical trials to investors. The story won the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and several other national prizes. Luke holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and during the 2005-2006 academic year, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT.