A Fireside Chat with Joe Betts-LaCroix
Join MCBcDNA for a fireside chat with Joe Betts-LaCroix, Co-Founder & CEO of Retro Biosciences, a longevity biotechnology company on a mission to add ten healthy years to the human lifespan.
Before founding Retro, Joe built an unconventional path through science and entrepreneurship - publishing biophysics research at Harvard, MIT, and Caltech, co-founding OQO (creator of the Guinness World Record–holding smallest Windows PC, later acquired by Google) and Vium (an automated in vivo research platform acquired by Recursion Pharmaceuticals), and spending several years as a part-time partner at Y Combinator investing in and mentoring biotech startups.
At Retro, launched in 2021 with initial backing from OpenAI's Sam Altman, Joe leads a team pursuing multiple approaches to the biology of aging - including cellular reprogramming, autophagy, and plasma-inspired therapeutics. In this fireside chat, we'll talk about his path from inventor to longevity entrepreneur, what it actually takes to build a company around one of biology's hardest problems, and where he sees the field heading next.
Agenda
7:30 PM — Doors open
7:40–7:45 PM — Welcome & introductions
7:45–8:15 PM — Fireside chat with Joe Betts-LaCroix
8:15–8:30 PM — Audience Q&A
8:30–9:00 PM — Networking reception with food & drinks
Event Sponsor: Retro Biosciences
Retro Biosciences is a longevity biotechnology company on a mission to add ten healthy years to the human lifespan, pursuing breakthroughs in cellular reprogramming, autophagy, and plasma-inspired therapeutics. Learn more at retro.bio.
Series Partner: Biocom California
Biocom California is the largest life science association in the state, and through its Biocom Institute it works to connect students and emerging talent with careers across biotech and the life sciences. Learn more at biocom.org.
Event Partner: LSBE
We're proud to have UC Berkeley's Robinson Life Science, Business, and Entrepreneurship (LSBE) Program as a partner for our Fall 2026 Speaker Series. The LSBE Program prepares students to become future leaders in biotech by combining business and biological sciences with mentorship, career coaching, and connections across the Bay Area life science ecosystem. Learn more at lsbe.berkeley.edu.
Event Partner: MTM Program
We're proud to have UC Berkeley's Master of Translational Medicine (MTM) Program as a partner for our Fall 2026 Speaker Series. The MTM Program trains students to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world healthcare impact, equipping the next generation of leaders to translate biomedical research into therapies, products, and policy. Learn more at mtm.berkeley.edu.