BIG IDEAS @ScienceStowers - Pat Brown

Patrick Brown, PhD, MD, CEO and founder of Impossible Foods

How Science Can Save Our Planet by Reinventing Meat

Scientists agree that the destruction of Earth's climate and environment is an existential threat to our species. Yet most of us feel powerless to respond, unable to find a meaningful way to wield our scientific skills and knowledge in the planetary defense. Brown will show you how developing a technology to make meat without the use of animals can reverse global warming and the loss of biodiversity, and why dropping what you are doing and working on this challenge is the single most important endeavor any scientist can pursue.

About the speaker

Patrick O. Brown is CEO and founder of Impossible Foods, a company focused on making nutritious meat and dairy products from plants to satisfy meat lovers and address the environmental impact of animal farming.

After receiving his BA, MD and PhD (in Biochemistry) at the University of Chicago, Pat completed a residency in pediatrics at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. As a fellow with Mike Bishop, PhD, and Harold Varmus, PhD, he defined the mechanism by which HIV and other retroviruses incorporate their genes into the genomes of the cells they infect.

At Stanford, Pat and colleagues developed DNA microarrays – a new technology that made it possible to monitor the activity of all the genes in a genome – along with the first methods for analyzing, visualizing, and interpreting global gene expression programs.

In 2011, Pat chose to devote his efforts full-time to Impossible Foods. He is also the co-founder of Lyrical Foods, Inc., maker of Kite Hill artisanal nut-milk-based cheeses and yogurts. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine and recipient of the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor.

Accessing the event

This free program will be live-streamed via Zoom. Closed captioning will be provided. After you register you will receive an email with a link the day before to join the session.

Once you register for this event, you will receive email communications about events from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. You may choose to opt out of these communications at any time. Your contact information will not be sold or provided to any third parties.

About the series

The BIG IDEAS @ScienceStowers is a lecture series that brings thought-provoking science to a Kansas City public audience. Each lecture features a renowned scientist presenting their scientific work in a casual and engaging style with an open post-lecture question and answer session.