By Kim Coghill
Washington Editor
EngeneOS, a NewcoGen venture formed in late 2000 by scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is charged with developing engineered genomic operating systems for design and construction of biomolecular machines employing natural and artificial building blocks.
The founders two weeks ago named Frank Lee, who served as chief technology officer and vice president of research at Cambridge, Mass.-based Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., as president and CEO of Boston-based engeneOS.
Of his position and the direction of engeneOS, Lee said, "I think there is a tremendous opportunity created by merging the genomics revolution in the biological sciences with the cutting-edge technologies from the physical and information sciences."
Lee said he's excited by the prospect of helping to build the engeneOS technology platform and commercialization strategy, and said he believes "the engeneOS vision represents the next generation of biotechnology and genomics applications."
The company has 10 employees and was started with $6 million, Lee said.
EngeneOS' technology platform starts with the "source code" of nature's operating system, embodied in the genomic sequences of various organisms. The company is combining this information with modern molecular biology techniques, engineering and design principles to develop engineered genomic operating systems. These systems will consist of component device modules supported by modeling and design tools.
EngeneOS expects to build a library of proprietary modular components, including engineered cells and proteins, as well as hybrid devices composed of biological and nonbiological materials, Lee said.
Scientists who founded engeneOS are Joseph Jacobson, of MIT's Media Lab; Eric Lander, of the Whitehead Institute Center for Genome Research at MIT; Daniel I.C. Wang, of the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT; and George Church, of the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.
In addition to Lee, engeneOS' management includes John Schwartz, a co-founder and principal scientist, who joined the company from the MIT Center for Biomedical Engineering, and Anjan Mehta, chief business officer, who came from Arthur D. Little.
The NewcoGen Group, of Cambridge, Mass., was formed in late 1999 to create, develop and invest in new ventures in the life science and information technology fields. It is comprised of NewcoGen and Applied Genomic Technology Capital Funds. NewcoGen is a $60 million venture creation firm that develops technology and life science companies. n