Tae Seok Moon, Ph.D., is a professor at the J. Craig Venter Institute in the synthetic biology group, with a distinguished background in systems and synthetic biology. Formerly a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, his research focuses on engineering biological networks to address challenges in energy, health, agriculture, and the environment. His work spans developing engineered probiotic bacteria, creating sustainable biofuels and materials, advancing biocontainment strategies, designing biosensors, and exploring microbiota-host interactions. Passionate about mentorship, Dr. Moon has guided numerous students, initiated the SynBYSS seminar series for emerging scientists, and contributed to STEM education. He holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from MIT and has completed postdoctoral work in synthetic biology at MIT and UCSF.