Kärt Tomberg, ExpressionEdits | theCUBE + NYSE Wired: AI in Bio

In this interview from theCUBE + NYSE Wired: AI in Bio 2026, Kärt Tomberg, chief executive officer and co-founder of ExpressionEdits, joins theCUBE + NYSE Wired's Gemma Allen to discuss how AI is helping rewrite the genetic instructions that tell human cells how to produce proteins. Tomberg reflects on discovering, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that the DNA sequences used to instruct cells — a technique pioneered by Genentech 50 years ago — still resemble viral code rather than native human genes. She explains why cells treat these virus-like instructions as threats, suppressing protein output, and how ExpressionEdits uses AI models trained on billions of data points to redesign these instructions to appear more "human," unlocking higher protein yields for gene therapies, vaccines and cell therapies. The conversation also explores ExpressionEdits' commercial strategy, including a public partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim and undisclosed pharma collaborations that provide non-dilutive capital and technology validation. Tomberg unpacks the challenge of bridging two historically distinct investor pools — software and drug development — each with different expectations for risk and value creation. She details the company's dual-track approach: scaling its AI platform to better model the journey from DNA to protein, while advancing an internal recombinant protein asset toward human trials. Tomberg also touches on the shifting regulatory landscape, noting the FDA's move toward more data-driven review processes. From academic origins to a growing pipeline spanning gene therapies and recombinant proteins, she outlines how collaboration across the AI-bio community is accelerating the path from lab discovery to patient-ready medicines. Find more SiliconANGLE news and analysis https://siliconangle.com/ Follow theCUBE's wall-to-wall event coverage https://siliconangle.com/events/ Learn about the latest theCUBE events https://www.thecube.net/ 00:00 - Transformative Insights in Biotech: Kärt Tomberg and the Future of Genetic Engineering 02:12 - Transformative Advances: AI's Role in Genetic Engineering and Industry Dynamics 05:17 - Forging Connections: Academia and Industry in Biotech Collaboration 07:19 - Strategic Pathways in Biotech: Challenges, Outlook, and Collaboration #theCUBE #AIinBio #theCUBEresearch #NYSEWired #ExpressionEdits #Biotech #DrugDiscovery