Ep. 105: Andrew Hessel: Programming DNA and Engineering the Future of Life

Ep. 105: Andrew Hessel: Programming DNA and Engineering the Future of Life

From Stranded Technologies Podcast by Infinita City

February 20, 2026 · 1h 6m · Season 1 · Episode 105

About this episode

Andrew Hessel discusses the engineering of DNA and the future of biotechnology.

In this episode, he and Niklas explore how genome sequencing, DNA synthesis, and CRISPR are turning life into an engineering platform. From coding proteins and viruses to writing entire genomes, Andrew explains how biotech is moving from reading DNA to actively programming it. They discuss N-of-1 personalized therapies, biosecurity in an age of cheap DNA synthesis, and why open science could accelerate biotech innovation. The conversation also touches on cloning, embryo editing, and the long-term future of human enhancement. Topics include: · DNA as digital code · Genome writing and synthetic cells · CRISPR and programmable biology · Personalized genetic medicine · Biosecurity and engineered viruses · Open biotech vs. proprietary models · Cloning and human genome design A conversation for builders, founders, and technologists thinking about biology as the next software layer. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.infinitacitytimes.com

People in this episode

Host: Niklas

Guest: Andrew Hessel

Topics covered

  • genome sequencing
  • DNA synthesis
  • CRISPR
  • personalized therapies
  • biosecurity
  • open science
  • human enhancement

Keywords

  • DNA
  • genome writing
  • synthetic biology
  • personalized medicine
  • biosecurity
  • cloning
  • human genome design

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Infinita City, CRISPR

More episodes of Stranded Technologies Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Stranded Technologies Podcast podcast page.