Opinion: Can Arena Bioworks upend the traditional scientific research model in the U.S.?

I’ve spent a good deal of my career thinking about how we structure and fund research in the biomedical sciences in the U.S. and questioning whether the U.S.. As media reports have highlighted, the new effort — a press release says that it was “ by the success of Bell Labs” — promises to let scientists engage in research without first getting funding from NIH or other sources, as well as the option, if the results are promising, to spin off a for-profit company. Investors are spending considerable amounts of money to lure scientists away from academia, and there are big names involved: Stewart Schrieber, co-founder of the Broad Institute, is leading the effort; investors include Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, Elisabeth DeLuca, Subway heiress, Steve Pagliuca, former co-chair of Bain Capital.