The Back Up Plan

EPISODE 9: Growing a Data Garden with Kyriaki Goni (Artist)In this episode, we have a conversation with artist Kyriaki Goni, who imagines DNA-based data storage futures. Together we reflect on alternatives to current day big tech oligopolies. We recorded this conversation in September of 2023.***A way of resisting (Athens Data Garden), 2020(https://kyriakigoni.com/projects/data-garden)The Mountain Islands Shall Mourn us Eternally (Dolomites Data Garden), 2022(https://kyriakigoni.com/projects/the-mountain-islands-shall-mourn-us-eternally)“Imagine storing all the world's archives in a box of seeds: As our appetite for data soars, Karin Ljubic Fister is pioneering a surprising storage facility with potential to grow” (https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22930560-400-imagine-storing-all-the-worlds-archives-in-a-box-of-seeds/)“A French Teenager Turned the Bible and Quran into DNA and Injected Them into His Body” (https://www.livescience.com/64388-boy-encoded-and-injected-dna-bible-quran.html)“Massive Attack are releasing an album in a new format: DNA”https://www.wired.com/story/massive-attack-mezzanine-dna-album/

EPISODE 8: DNA Aesthetics with Madeleine Mendell (Media Archivist)In this episode, we chat with media archivist, Madeleine Mendell, about the deeper social narratives and aesthetic implications of using DNA as a storage medium. We recorded this conversation in September of 2023.***“Harvard scientists pioneer storage of video inside DNA” (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/12/scientists-pioneer-a-new-revolution-in-biology-by-embeding-film-on-dna)“NFSA preserves Cathy Freeman's Olympic win on DNA”(https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/item/nfsa-preserves-cathy-freemans-olympic-win-dna)Arch Mission Foundation (https://www.archmission.org/)Joe Davis “Microvenus” (https://clotmag.com/biomedia/joe-davis)

EPISODE 7: Becoming Genomic Media with Richard Pon (University of Calgary)In this episode, we chat with Richard Pon, Former Director of the Centre for Health Genomics and Informatics at the University of Calgary. In 2018, he gave us a tour of the University Core DNA Services lab to get a close-up look at synthetic DNA creation.  ***University of Calgary Centre for Health Genomics and Informatics (https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/research/cat/health-genomics)

EPISODE 6: Bio-Sourcing & Decarbonizing Data Storage with Stéphane Lemaire (Biomemory)In this episode, we hear from Stephane Lemaire from Biomemory, a company developing biosourced DNA-based data storage technology. This conversation was recorded in January of 2024, prior to Biomemory’s acquisition of Catalog.***Biomemory (https://www.biomemory.com/)

EPISODE 5: Like Any Other Polymer with Dave Turek (Catalog)In this episode, we speak with Dave Turek from Catalog, a company at the forefront of DNA-based data storage and computation. We conducted this interview in October of 2022. Since then, Catalog has been acquired by Biomemory, whom we’ll hear from in the next episode. ***Catalog, now Biomemory (https://www.biomemory.com/)

EPISODE 4: Data Storage in the Age of AI with Siraj Nour ElAhmadi (Atlas Data Storage)In this episode, we hear from Siraj Nour Elahmadi from Atlas Data Storage, who brings us up to speed with developments in DNA-based data storage technology and the current concerns related to artificial intelligence. This interview was recorded in June of 2026.***Atlas Data Storage (https://www.atlasds.com)

EPISODE 3: Encoding/Decoding with Jeff Nivala (University of Washington)In this episode, Jeff Nivala, a researcher working in computing and biotechnology, explains the science behind DNA-based data storage. This conversation was recorded in September of 2023.***“With a ‘hello,’ Microsoft and UW demonstrate first fully automated DNA data storage” (https://www.washington.edu/news/2019/03/21/first-fully-automated-dna-data-storage/)

EPISODE 2: (Data) Scraping the Earth with Linda Tadic (Digital Bedrock)In this episode, we speak with Linda Tadic, founder and CEO of Digital Bedrock. As an archivist, she explains the move from analog, to digital, to the current day promise of DNA-based data storage. We recorded this interview in September of 2023.***Digital Bedrock (https://www.digitalbedrock.com/)DNA Data Storage Alliance (https://www.snia.org/groups/snia-dna-technology-affiliate)