Mitre Corporation Names Marc Salit as Fellow, Lead Synthetic Biology Official

Mitre Corporation has named Marc Salit as a fellow and the official who will lead the organization’s synthetic biology work. Salit will lead the development of a new Open BioFoundry that will develop tools and accelerate capabilities in engineering biological systems.

Salit is an adjunct professor at Stanford University and a former staff scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. He is also the director of the Joint Initiative for Metrology in Biology, a partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology and Stanford University, Mitre said Monday.

Charles Clancy, senior vice president of intelligence programs and a general manager at Mitre Labs, said synthetic biology will allow scientists to make strides in the fields of material science, health care and sustainability. The Potomac Officers Club member added that Salit has experience in leading synthetic biology efforts, making him the ideal person to head the new Open BioFoundry.

Synthetic biology, or genome editing, is a scientific field that focuses on redesigning organisms through engineering. The process allows organisms to have new abilities and serve as a stepping stone for new developments in medicine, manufacturing and agriculture.

Mitre is a nonprofit organization that performs research and development efforts in a number of fields, including artificial intelligence, data science, quantum information science, health informatics, cybersecurity and economic growth and development.