CSB 10 Year Anniversary Retreat
The Center for Synthetic Biology will celebrate a decade of discovery, collaboration, and impact May 13-14, 2026, at the Woman’s Club of Evanston. The event will bring together current members, alumni, partners, collaborators, and supporters for reflection, reconnection, and forward-thinking discussion. The two day event will include keynote talks, panel discussions, and celebratory receptions.
Registration is now closed.
10 Year Anniversary and Retreat Information
May 13, 2026 - CSB 10 Year Anniversary
By attending this event, you agree to the following:
For good and valuable consideration, I grant Northwestern University (the “University”) and its agents and assigns the right to record my appearance and participation on digital recordings, videotape, audiotape, film, photograph or any other medium and to use, publish, reproduce, modify, distribute, and publicly exhibit without limitation for promotional and marketing materials to be used by the University, television networks, and on websites, including but not limited to the University’s website, iTunes, iTunesU, and the University’s page on YouTube, such recordings, in whole or in part, without restrictions or limitation for any purpose that the University in its sole discretion deems appropriate. I further consent to the University’s use of my name, likeness, voice, and identifying information in connection with such recordings.
I release the University, its successors and assigns, its agents, and all persons for whom it is acting from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form, whether intentional or other-wise, that may occur or be produced in the recording process, or any misspellings or inaccuracies, and I waive any right that I may have to inspect, approve, own, or control the finished recordings.
I agree that neither I nor my heirs shall be entitled to any compensation for the use of my name, photograph, likeness, or other image of myself.
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Please stop by the check-in tables at the front of the venue for your name badge and instructions on where to pick up CSB 10 Year swag.
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Henry S. Bienen, Interim President and President Emeritus
The Honorable Richard Durbin, United States Senator from Illinois
Julius Lucks and Danielle Tullman-Ercek, CSB Co-Directors
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Julio Ottino, R.R. McCormick Institute Professor and Walter P. Murphy Professor Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University
Milan Mrksich, Professor and CSB Founding Director, Northwestern University
Michael Jewett, Professor and CSB Founding Co-Director, Stanford University
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Dario Robleto, Artist and Former Northwestern Artist-at-Large
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Christopher Voigt, Head of Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Erik Luijten, Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Education, Provost Elect
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Postdoctoral Researcher Awardee Talk
TBA
Graduate Student Awardee Talk
TBA
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Yogesh Goyal, Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology, CSB Faculty Member
“Deconstructing Cellular Responses: From Fluctuations to Foundation Models”
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Moderated by Chris Schuh, Dean, McCormick School of Engineering
Melih Keyman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Keytrade
Ena Chan Cratsenburg, Chief Business Officer, Ginkgo
Jeff Fairman, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Co-Founder, Vaxcyte
Jose Carlos Garcia-Garcia, Ph.D., Senior Director, Research Fellow, and Head of Corporate Biotechnology, Procter & Gamble
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Danielle Tullman-Ercek and Julius Lucks, CSB Co-Directors
May 14, 2026 - CSB Retreat
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Krishna Shrinivas, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, CSB Faculty Member
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Mark Mimee, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, University of Chicago
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Xavier Bower, Graduate Student, Leonard & Lucks Labs
Presentation: Claude coding tutorial
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Poster Session will take place on the 1st Floor in the Tea Room
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Distinguished Trainee Awardee Talks
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Trainee Talks
Neha Tyagi, Postdoctoral Researcher, Shrinivas Lab, Designing intrinsically disordered proteins
Madeline Mills, Graduate Student, Tullman-Ercek Lab, Virus-like particles as a protein engineering strategy
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Christine Wang, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, CSB Faculty Member
“Targeted Modulation of Pathogenic Monocyte-Derived Alveolar Macrophages in Lung Injury”
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Ryan Abbott, Chief Technology Officer, Acorn Genetics
Kate Barkus, Project Management Consultant, COUR Pharma
Michael Born, Technical Development Senior Principal Scientist, Genentech
Jose Carlos (JC) Garcia-Garcia, R&D Senior Director and Research Fellow, Procter & Gamble
Julie Ming Liang, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder, Opera Biosciences
Moderator: Danielle Tullman-Ercek, James N. And Nancy J. Farley Professor in Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship, Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Co-Director, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is the Woman’s Club of Evanston ADA compliant?
Yes. The venue features a wheelchair-accessible entrance, an elevator providing access between both floors, and accessible, all-gender restrooms.
Can I register at the door?
Unfortunately, no. Only guests who have RSVP’d here will be able to check-in. Please note the deadline for registration.
Do I need to present my registration at the door?
No, we only need your name to check you in.
Can I bring a plus one or a guest?
Due to space limitations at the venue, the event is invite only.
Will I need a valid photo ID to drink alcohol at the reception?
Yes. If you plan to drink alcohol during the reception, you will need a valid photo ID that includes your date of birth.
Where can I park?
A 600-space parking garage, the Church St. Self Park, is located directly across the street from the Clubhouse entrance. Enter this garage from Church or Clark Street. The parking fee is approximately $1.00/hour.
The NU intercampus shuttle also has a stops near the venue. See their website for more information.
Additional questions can be sent to csb@northwestern.edu.
Anniversary Retreat Organizing Committee

Julius Lucks
Center Co-Director

Danielle Tullman-Ercek
Center Co-Director

Krishna Shrinivas
Affiliate Faculty

Christine Akdeniz
Senior Education and Outreach Coordinator

Hannah Kato
Program Assistant

Yael Mayer
Director of Operations and Outreach

Taylor Nichols
Director of Research

Kristi Hubbard
Director of Planning for University Priorities and Collaborative Engagement, President's Office









