As the Kavli Center works to empower scientists to consider the broader societal implications of their discoveries, it’s equally important to recognize the regulatory, economic, and structural environments in which they operate. Public funding for basic science is often justified by the promise of downstream benefits to society. Yet, the commercial pathways that dominate biotechnology and pharmaceutical development are not always aligned with those public interests. At present, discovery scientists have few options beyond the existing for-profit biotech industry to translate their work into accessible health interventions. If we want science to better serve society, we need to expand the pathways available for turning discoveries into equitable and affordable solutions.
In 2025, the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public at UC Berkeley participated in an effort to reimagine a new biotechnology sector that better meets the needs of society. The Center collaborated with the 90:10 Institute, a nonprofit convening stakeholders from across healthcare to explore alternative models for developing, financing, and delivering medical interventions. Co-Director Jodi Halpern and Executive Director Lea Witkowsky took part in a series of workshops and hosted the project's culminating Summit in Berkeley in July 2025. Kavli Center graduate fellow, Jenna Petersen, a genetic counselor and student at the Haas School of Business, worked with this initiative as her fellowship project.
This work builds on Lea Witkowsky’s leadership in this area as part of the Innovative Genomics Institute’s Affordability Task Force (see 2023 article in Gene Therapy). The theme of the 90:10 collaboration also connects to a BERGIT series the Kavli Center organized in 2023 titled, "Innovation Within Society, exploring how market forces and political economy shape the governance of emerging technologies". All initiatives underscored the need to design systems that enable scientists to act ethically and in the public interest.
Read about the 90:10 Summit: De Novo Design of Biotech for Society at Sowen's website .
