Simone Bianco

Dr. Simone Bianco is a prominent figure in the intersection of biology and computational science, currently leading groundbreaking research as the Vice President of Computation at the Altos Labs Bay Area Institute of Science. Before joining Altos, he distinguished himself at the IBM Almaden Research Center, where he managed the Department of Functional Genomics and Cellular Engineering. With expertise in the computer-driven design of biological systems, Dr. Bianco has contributed substantially to developing vaccines, antivirals, antimicrobials, and immunotherapies, earning several patents in synthetic biology.

His academic journey, beginning with a physics degree from the University of Pisa, Italy, led him to obtain his PhD from the University of North Texas. Dr. Bianco’s multifaceted research career includes appointments at the College of William and Mary and the University of California San Francisco. His work encompasses diverse scientific fields, from theoretical physics and epidemiology to systems biology and financial mathematics, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary research.

As the founding Principal Investigator of the NSF Center for Cellular Construction, Dr. Bianco aims to transform cell biology into a precise engineering discipline. This initiative, a collaboration between prestigious institutions like UC San Francisco, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and others, seeks to engineer cells for specific functions by altering their internal structure.

In addition to his research endeavors, Dr. Bianco is a celebrated TED speaker with over 1 million views and a leader of one of IBM's 2018 5-in-5 projects, identified as having the potential to change the world in five years. He is also an honorary visiting lecturer for the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, recognized for his expertise in dynamical systems and dedication to education. Dr. Bianco's role extends to promoting diversity in computational sciences as an SFSU PINC program board member.

At IBM Research – Almaden, Dr. Bianco was recognized as an IBM rock star and led the Cellular Engineering group. His passion for transforming biology into a quantitative science through an interdisciplinary approach involving mathematics, physics, engineering, and computer science reflects his belief in the far-reaching impact of this integration on biological, medical, and computational fields.

Dr. Simone Bianco's career is a testament to his commitment to advancing biologically inspired engineering and computer science, making him a leading figure in the evolving world of computational biology and synthetic engineering.