Yes and yes. Feel free to DM me on twitter (same username). Also check out Ginkgo Bioworks (http://ginkgobioworks.com/), one of the top 100 YC companies. They're working on some really hard problems.
p.s. I just remembered that a year ago I watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSZidU6R_mU - Reshma Shetty, Founder of Ginkgo Bioworks at the Female Founders Conference
Edit: added a p.s.