Josie is a bioengineer, biohacker, artist and provocateur who pushes the boundaries of genetic engineering, making advanced biotechnology accessible to the public. She is the founder and CEO of The ODIN, a company that develops and sells DIY biology kits, empowering citizen scientists to experiment with genetic engineering at home. With a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Chicago, Josie previously worked at NASA Ames Research Center on synthetic biology projects before leaving to pursue more radical, open-source approaches to science.
A true polymath and creative force, Josie seamlessly blends rigorous science with artistic expression and social provocation. Her work has been exhibited at major institutions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and Philadelphia Museum of Art. She is known for bold self-experimentation, including being the first known person to inject herself with CRISPR in 2017, engineering glowing yeast for beer, and conducting a full-body microbiome transplant.
She is currently working on The Embryo Corporation at her ranch in Austin, Texas, where she is genetically modifying horses and other animals — merging cutting-edge biotechnology with her passion for animals and artistic vision.
Josie’s approach challenges traditional gatekeeping in science, advocating for democratized innovation, creativity, and fearless exploration at the intersection of biology, art and human possibility.
