Ferment - Annual Biotechnology Conference

Wilmot James joined Brown University in March 2023 as Professor of Practice in Health Policy, Services and Practice and Senior Advisor for Pandemics and Global Health Security at the School of Public Health. Prior to his appointment, he was a Senior Research Scholar at the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP) in the College of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University. Wilmot conducts research on pandemic prevention and response, biosecurity, non proliferation, vaccine manufacturing and take up. He co-convened the Schmidt Futures supported Columbia-Witwatersrand Vaccine Safety and Confidence-Building (VacSafe) Working Group and served as deputy chair to Sir Jeremy Farrar on the Vaccine Task Team (VacTask) supporting the South African government in sustainable vaccine manufacturing. He serves as a consultant to the Africa Society for Laboratory Medicine; co-chairs the National Framework sub-working group of the G7-led Global Partnership’s Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa; is the Academic Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Collaborative Surveillance Initiative; chairs the Climate Impacts Advisory Committee of the London based Wellcome Trust and serves on the Advisory Board of Resolve to Save Lives. Wilmot was a Member of Parliament (South Africa) between 2009 and 2017 and served as opposition spokesperson on trade and industry, schools and higher education, science and technology and health. He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Ford Foundation between 1996 and 2008. He is the author and/or editor of 17 books that include the policy-oriented Vital Signs: Health Security in South Africa (2020) and a co-edited collection of Nelson Mandela’s speeches Nelson Mandela In His Own Words (2003 and 2017). Wilmot holds an honorary professorship of public health at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Dr. Satoshi Okamoto is The Chief Research Coordinator for Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd's corporate office, located in Tokyo Japan. He received his doctorate in polymers from The Tokyo Institute of Technology in June 1995, and then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Polytech University (now the State University of New York). He joined Sumitomo Chemical Industries in April 1996 and has been consistently engaged in new development and innovation. He succeeded in industrializing catalytic polymerization of liquid crystal polymers for the first time in the world, and while the market remained strong, he succeeded in developing a manufacturing method that satisfies both productivity and quality, which was incorporated into Sumitomo Chemical's industrial production. The company subsequently succeeded in developing a liquid crystal polymer that dissolves in common solvent, leading to its use in 5G antenna substrates, high thermal conductivity substrates, speaker diaphragms, etc. In addition, he was involved in the development of transparent polyimide film, which was also used in Foldable Phones. In 2017, he moved to the planning department at the company's headquarters, where he promoted open innovation and collaborated with ventures in areas such as odor sensors, synthetic biology, and carbon nanotubes. From April, 2023, he has also been working as a specially appointed professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology and a team leader at RIKEN, while working with academia to implement quantum many-body materials for society. Dr. Okamoto has a track record of filing over 500 patent applications.

Having joined Centrient Pharmaceuticals in 2001, Limber Acosta has contributed to the excellence of Centrient’s fermentative and enzymatic manufacturing processes for production of sustainable antibiotics. Over the last two decades, Limber has been responsible for connecting key R&D partners and Centrient’s technical teams at the manufacturing sites, delivering both continuous improvement and disruptive approaches for process excellence at commercial scale. He has been responsible for the development programs to improve fermentation performance during and after startup of Centrient’s largest 6-APA manufacturing site. Limber has extended his technological expertise to developing Centrient’s wastewater treatment technologies, resulting in contributions to compliant and cost-efficient processes for the manufacture of sustainable antibiotics. In his role as Director of Innovation & Technology Development (I&TD), Limber is an essential member of the global I&TD leadership at Centrient Pharmaceuticals. Leveraging his extensive experience in Process Technology and profound knowledge of Centrient’s core manufacturing processes, Limber is dedicated to driving growth through innovative technologies and fostering a diversified portfolio through an open innovation model.

Nikki Romanik is the currently the Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Director and Chief of Staff for the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR) in the Executive Office of the President at the White House. Prior to this role, Nikki was the Senior Policy Advisor for the White House National Mpox Response. Prior to this appointment, Nikki served as a technical expert at the World Health Organization. In this role she worked in the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme in the Country Readiness and Strengthening Department (CRS) where she facilitated access to COVID-19 tools Accelerator (ACT-A), via the horizontal cross-cutting Health System and Response Connector (HSRC) component which strived for all countries have the necessary technical, operational, and financial resources needed to translate new COVID-19 tools into national response interventions to stop transmission and save lives. While at CDC, Nikki supported the COVID-19 global response starting on day one of CDC’s EOC activation. Her leadership roles included working as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the U.S. Government’s COVID-19 Test-to-Treat Program (2022), serving as a CDC Liaison to the White House and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2021-2022), working directly with the CDC Foundation to stand-up the COVID-19 Emergency Fund (2020), and standing up the Partnership Team within CDC’s COVID-19 Incident Management System (2020). A medically trained policy and partnerships professional, Nikki has achieved nearly 15 years of experience engaging with the private sector and partners. Prior to entering the COVID-19 Pandemic Response, Nikki served as the Special Assistant to two Directors and two Chiefs of Staff at CDC. Her portfolio included the COVID-19 Emergency Response, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Center for Global Health, Center for Preparedness and Response, the Ebola and Polio Response, serving as a policy advisor and liaison to the interagency, external partners, multiple CDC programs on behalf of the Office of the Director. Nikki joined CDC during the 2014-2015 Ebola Outbreak and working in the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. She focused on interagency partner education and regulatory issues. Prior to joining CDC, Nikki was the Executive Director and Founder of Georgia’s For a Day Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit that is committed to creating emotionally therapeutic experiences for children battling cancer and other chronic illnesses and their families through consistent quality of life programming.

Stephen Lallo is the Director of Corporate Development at GreenLab. GreenLab is a biotech startup on a mission to green industry with next-generation plant biotechnology. GreenLab’s biotech platform transforms a cornfield into the factory of the future, open today. Prior to GreenLab, Stephen spent 21 years in the public sector, building public-private partnerships. He has worked most of his career at the Narragansett Bay Commission—a quasi-public agency that is tasked with running the 11th largest wastewater system in the country—where he developed the first US storm water master plan. Projects of this master plan resulted in a onetime $36 million-dollar savings to the ratepayers with additional operating savings of more than a quarter of a million annually. Stephen holds a Master of Public Administration from Suffolk University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Providence College.

Dr. Renee Wegrzyn serves as the first director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), appointed on October 11, 2022, by President Joseph R. Biden. Previously, Wegrzyn served as a vice president of business development at Ginkgo Bioworks and head of innovation at Concentric by Ginkgo where she focused on applying the tools of synthetic biology to outpace infectious diseases. Wegrzyn comes to ARPA-H with experience working for over a decade at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), five of those years as a program manager with a $250 million portfolio, and as a technical advisor to the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). At DARPA, Wegrzyn leveraged the tools of synthetic biology and gene editing to enhance biosecurity, support the domestic bioeconomy, and thwart biothreats. Wegrzyn received the Superior Public Service Medal for her work and contributions at DARPA. Before joining DARPA, she led teams in private industry across a range of specialties including biosecurity and gene therapies. Wegrzyn served on the scientific advisory board for the National Academies Standing Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities and National Security Needs, among other boards in government and the private sector. She holds doctoral and bachelor’s degrees in applied biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, was a fellow in the Center for Health Security Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative and completed her postdoctoral training as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow in Heidelberg, Germany.

Michael Specter has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1998 focusing on science and global public health. His profile subjects include: Anthony S. Fauci, Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA, Peter Singer, the AIDS activist Larry Kramer, Dr. Oz and Richard Branson, among many others. In 2020, Specter published an audiobook titled “Fauci” with Pushkin Industries and “Higher Animals” published in 2023. He is currently a visiting scholar at MIT.

Aaron Schacht is the CEO of BiomEdit. Founded in 2022, BiomEdit is an emerging animal health biotechnology company that leverages a unique platform combining the leading science of the microbiome with synthetic biology to innovate novel animal health products to address challenges in livestock production and pet health. Aaron retired in 2021 from Elanco Animal Health where he led research and development (R&D), regulatory affairs and business development since 2015. While there, he led the strategic acquisition of Bayer Animal Health, Aratana Therapeutics and Kindred Biosciences and his R&D teams delivered more than a dozen new products to the market. Aaron was also a member of the founding executive team that completed the carve-out and IPO of Elanco from Eli Lilly and Company in 2018. Prior to his time at Elanco, Aaron spent the first 25 years of his career in the industry at Lilly, beginning as a discovery research chemist and playing a variety of roles across R&D, strategy, external innovation and product development. Aaron currently serves on the boards of Redux Bio, Gallant Therapeutics, Indiana Biosciences Research Institute and Agrinovus Indiana (Chairman Emeritus). In 2022, BiomEdit was recognized by S&P Global Animal Health as Best Start-up in Animal Health and Aaron as 2023’s Visionary CEO in its annual animal health industry awards. He received his bachelor's degree in chemical sciences from the University of Illinois. Aaron is married with 3 grown children, celebrating more than 30 years of marriage to his wife Pamela.

Alexis Perrin is a French producer and founder of Rumble Fish Productions. His international company produces auteur-driven films that push the limits of visual storytelling with productions including SALOUM, CITIES OF LAST THINGS, BLOOD MACHINES and BLAZE. Alexis was formerly a Production Executive for VFX powerhouse BUF where he collaborated on iconic features such as The Grandmaster, Nymphomaniac, Life of Pi, Thor, and The Lobster. Previously, Alexis was also a co-founder of genre-driven financier firm Logical Pictures that produced Ghostland, Revenge, and Swallow during his tenure. In 2022, Alexis produced Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper’s sci-fi fairytale VESPER, in co-production with Lithuania and Belgium, which premiered at Karlovy Vary and was released in North America by IFC Films.

Alison is a managing editor at Axios, where she oversees the newsroom's coverage of science, health and world news. She is the author of the weekly Axios Science newsletter.

Anna Marie Wagner is the SVP, Head of AI and Head of Corporate Development at Ginkgo Bioworks. In her roles, she oversees Ginkgo’s strategy, partnerships, and commercial execution in AI as well as Ginkgo’s capital markets and M&A functions. Anna Marie led Ginkgo’s nearly $300 million partnership with Google Cloud in 2023 and Ginkgo’s public offering in 2021, raising over $1.6 billion for the company in what was the largest ever public debut in biotech (NYSE:DNA). Prior to joining Ginkgo Bioworks, Anna Marie was a technology investor at Bain Capital Private Equity. She holds a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Harvard and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar.

Arie Abo is Co-Founder and CSO of Imagindairy, a startup that is trailblazing a new future for the dairy industry by producing sustainable, animal-free dairy proteins via precision fermentation. Arie brings over 30 years of experience in biotechnology with deep knowledge of protein biochemistry, immunology, molecular signaling, cell biology, and regenerative medicine. Prior to founding Imagindairy, Arie led and managed R&D in diverse therapeutic areas and successfully developed novel therapeutics at Onyx Pharmaceutical, Nuvelo and California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Arie holds a PhD in Microbiology from Tel Aviv University and a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

As head of biologics research and development (R&D) for Bayer CropScience, Benoit Hartmann leads the company’s effort to identify and develop innovative biological solutions for global agriculture markets. He serves as a senior vice president and is a member of the global R&D leadership team at Bayer. His 25 years of experience with Bayer includes leading teams involved in the development and commercialization of fungicides and insecticides for horticulture and row crops, he most recently headed the company’s global fungicide research activities. Benoit excels in translating complex business problems into R&D strategies bringing together different partners across the innovation ecosystems, with a passion for new solutions helping to transform agriculture to become more sustainable. Benoit is the author of more than 60 publications and patents and has given 20 lectures at universities and international conferences. He earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Grenoble in France, did postdoctoral studies at the University of Texas in Austin, TX.

Bruno Samper is a writer and director of the award-winning feature film VESPER (2022). The science fiction film premiered in the 56th Karlovy Vary IFF and received critical acclaim with its worldwide release. Prior to Vesper, Bruno collaborated and co-wrote internationally acclaimed films VANISHING WAVES and THE COLLECTRESS. In addition to his cinematic work, Bruno is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Nedd, a French immersive marketing agency that specializes in XR experiences. Renowned for its innovation, Nedd created award-winning augmented reality experience ENTER THE ROOM for the International Committee of Red Cross which was featured in numerous festivals. Currently, Bruno is collaborating with production companies Natrix Natrix and Rumble Fish to develop a new science fiction feature, CRYSTAL ISLAND, as a French - Lithuanian co-production.

Christina Agapakis is creative director of Ginkgo Bioworks, a biological design company growing cultured products for partners across many industries. Her work brings together biologists, engineers, designers, artists, and social scientists to explore the future of biotechnology. During her PhD at Harvard, she worked on producing hydrogen fuel in bacteria and making photosynthetic animals. She has taught designers at the Art Center College of Design and biomolecular engineers at UCLA, and she once made cheese using bacteria from the human body.

Dr. Cindy Friedman has over 25 years of experience working in a variety of Federal Public Health positions, including at the Division of Global Migration Health as the founding director of the Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program, an early warning system to detect new and rare variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging pathogens. During CDC’s 2020 COVID-19 response, she led the Cruise Ship Task Force that helped navigate the safe disembarkation and repatriation of more than 250,000 passengers and crew. Dr. Friedman came to CDC in 1995 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer after her training as an Infectious Disease Physician at Weil Cornell Medical College. She spent several years as the Lead for CDC’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System and as the Medical Director of CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program. Dr Friedman also served as CDC’s liaison to The Federal Bureau of Investigation during the Anthrax bioterrorism response. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, served on several advisory boards, and holds an adjunct faculty appointment at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

Debora is a mathematician and computational biologist with a track record of using novel algorithms and statistics to successfully address unsolved biological problems. She has a passion for interpreting genetic variation in a way that impacts biomedical applications. During her PhD, she quantified the potential pan-genomic scope of microRNA targeting and combinatorial regulation of protein expression and co-discovered the first microRNA in a virus. As a postdoc she and her colleagues cracked the classic, unsolved problem of ab initio 3D structure prediction of proteins using a maximum entropy probability model for evolutionary sequences. She has developed this approach to determine functional interactions, biomolecular structures, including the 3D structure of RNA and RNA-protein complexes and the conformational ensembles of apparently disordered proteins. Her new lab at Harvard is interested in developing methods in deep learning to address a wide range of biological challenges including predicting the effects of genetic variation and sequence design for biosynthetic applications.

Dr. Iya Khalil is the Vice President and Head of Data, AI & Genome Sciences at Merck charged with driving an AI-first data-driven approach to early discovery biology. Prior to Merck, she was at Novartis where she headed the 1st AI Innovation Lab in a major pharmaceutical company leading the development and application of best-in-class AI platforms and algorithms across discovery, translation, early research, clinical, and commercial. Dr. Khalil has a doctorate in physics and is an AI pioneer with 20+ years of experience in AI and “big (& deep) data” for life sciences and healthcare. She is the co-founder and co-inventor of the proprietary AI engine that underpins Aitia bio, and is responsible for generating tremendous value by establishing and running key collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, foundations, payers, providers, and government agencies. She has extensive experience in developing AI algorithms and solutions across the continuum of Pharmaceutical R&D to healthcare, including drug discovery, drug development, clinical trials, real-world evidence, market access, and treatment algorithms for patients. Named to the Pharma VOICE 100 list of the most inspiring people in the life sciences industry for her ability to build bridges across the life science and healthcare industries, and for bringing people together to harness the power of computational modeling to change the lives of patients.

Jason Kelly is the co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo's biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, is building global infrastructure for biosecurity to empower governments, communities, and public health leaders to prevent, detect and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. Ginkgo is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Jason chairs the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, which evaluates how advancements in emerging biotechnology will shape current and future activities of the Department of Defense. Prior to Ginkgo, Jason received B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology and a Ph.D. in Biological Engineering all from MIT.

Jennifer oversees cell engineering business development activities and execution against the existing book of business, managing the intersection of commercial activity and technical progress. Her team is responsible for signing new commercial deals as well as managing relationships with existing customers, tracking progress against technical milestones, and ensuring projects are appropriately resourced. Prior to Ginkgo, Jennifer spent 13 years at Merck, where she was ultimately the Director of Strategy Realization for US Market Commercial Operations. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Arizona.

John is the CEO of Factorial Biotechnologies, which he founded in 2020. Prior to Factorial, John was Director of Bioinformatics and System Integration at Agilent Technologies. John joined Agilent as part of their acquisition of Lasergen, where he was an early employee. At Lasergen, John led software, hardware and strategic collaborations.

Jon Terrett is the head of research at Crispr Therapeutics. The research department covers lead development for hematology, oncology, auto-immune, CVD, and genetic/rare diseases, as well as maintaining the core functions of computational biology and pharm-tox. Prior to joining CrisprTx in 2017, Jon’s career focused on antibody and ADC development for oncology indications at Medarex, OBT, and Cytomx.

Marcus holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge (UK) and has nearly 25 years of experience in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. He has worked for international large pharma and biotechnology companies, including AstraZeneca (Sweden), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), and (OSI) Prosidion (UK and US). He has (co-)authored more than 50 peer-reviewed research papers and is the inventor of 25 international patent applications. Marcus is also an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Gothenburg (Sweden). In 2018, Marcus joined Novo Nordisk as SVP for External Innovation & Strategy, and later became the lead of Global Drug Discovery. Since March 2021, he has led the Research and Early Development (R&ED) EVP area with accountability for driving scientific innovation, from idea generation to human proof-of-concept. In his current role, Marcus has transformed Novo Nordisk's drug discovery approach into a "human-centric" one across all therapy areas, from diabetes and obesity to newer areas such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic dysfunction- associated steatohepatitis (MASH). He has expanded the portfolio's focus on new modes of action and novel treatment modalities, including cell therapy and RNAi. Marcus places a strong emphasis on external innovation through collaborations and licensing deals. He has led the establishment of novel organizational set-ups that enable innovation, such as Transformational Research Units (TRUs), including the Cell Therapy R&D and the BioInnovation Hub in Boston. He has also initiated a set of initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion as an essential part of early research.

Julien is a seasoned biotech executive with over 15 years of experience across various sectors within the industry. Motivated by the pressing need to build scalable solutions to address climate change and the global nitrogen crisis, he founded OneOne Biosciences in January 2022. OneOne, based in Paris, France and Norwich, UK, aims to provide farmers with innovative agricultural biologicals that benefit their soils, their crops and their bottom line. Prior to founding OneOne Biosciences, Julien contributed significantly to Esco Lifesciences Group, a global life science tools and medical devices manufacturer based in Singapore. As Director of Corporate Development, he played a key role in securing a $200 million Series A funding, leading M&A strategies and operations, transforming the company’s four business units and supporting itsIPO preparations. Julien also brought his expertise to an early-stage VC fund operating in Boston, Shanghai and Singapore, EVX Ventures, serving as a London, UK-based Senior Advisor and Venture Partner, Europe/UK. There, he focused on identifying investment and venture creation opportunities in fast-growing verticals such as cell and gene therapy bioprocessing automation and deep science such as single-molecule proteomics. His earlier entrepreneurial activity in France included founding PhotoFuel, a former cleantech company, and acting as Director, Innovation at ML State (a tech startup acquired by Wallix) and Director, Biorefinery Solutions at Biométhodes (an industrial biotech venture later merged with NC-based Arbiom). Julien authored 9 peer-reviewed publications and 15 patents. His academic background includes an engineering diploma from AgroParisTech and a postgraduate degree in Biomathematics; his doctoral work, conducted at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, followed by a PhD in physical chemistry from ESPCI in Paris, France, pioneered aspects of then-nascent droplet biology.

Matt leads Biosecurity at Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE:DNA). Biosecurity is Ginkgo's business unit focused on national security and global pandemic response. Prior to building the Biosecurity business, Matt spent 4 years as Ginkgo’s Chief Commercial Officer and 7 years as an investor at IndUS Growth Partners where he was also the President and COO of Decision Resources Group. Matt has worked supporting business development at Palantir Technologies and is an active venture investor. Early in his career, he served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Matt completed a degree in History at Dartmouth College and is a graduate of the joint degree program at the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he was a Zuckerman Fellow.

Karen Akinsanya, president of R&D, therapeutics, joined Schrödinger in 2018. Karen leads the company’s therapeutics group which is responsible for preclinical drug discovery, translational research, and early clinical development, in addition to drug discovery business development and collaborations. She has more than 25 years of experience in academia, pharmaceutical R&D, partnerships, and licensing. Karen joined Merck Research Labs in 2005 and held positions of increasing responsibility in clinical pharmacology as a development team leader working on first-in-human studies through late-stage label studies before joining Discovery Preclinical & Early Development as a therapeutic area lead and then a search and evaluation lead in business development. Karen received her Ph.D. from the Royal Postgraduate Medical School at Imperial College in London, in endocrine physiology. After post-doctoral training at Imperial and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (UCL), Karen joined Ferring Pharmaceuticals in R&D working across sites in the UK and US. At Ferring, she led the discovery of a family of dipeptidyl peptidases related to DPPIV and pre-clinical characterization of FDA-approved FIRMAGON® for prostate cancer.

Molly is an Origination Partner at Flagship Pioneering, working as part of a venture-creation team to found and grow companies at the intersection of biology and machine learning. Molly serves as co-founder & chief strategy and chief innovation officer of Generate:Biomedicines, a Flagship Pioneering company, where she has served many roles from R&D to corporate strategy, platform and data strategy, and launching an innovation group, called G:Labs that explores novel applications of The Generate Platform. Through her role in Flagship Labs, Molly has contributed to the launch and growth of Tessera Therapeutics and Cobalt Biomedicines, which was merged into Sana Biotechnology. Molly’s work has resulted in multiple pending patents and publications, including articles in Science and Nature. Molly was honored in 2020 in Endpoints News' 20 under 40 list in biopharma and in 2021 in Business Insiders’ list of 12 young serial entrepreneurs building the next generation of biotech startups. Molly received a PhD in computational and systems biology from Washington University in Saint Louis in the Center for Genome Sciences, with the support of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. At Washington University, Molly collaborated with St. Louis Children's Hospital to study the effects of early life interventions on development of the preterm infant gut microbiome and health outcomes.

Dr. Keith Wood is the CEO and co-founder of Light Bio, a company dedicated to enriching lives through the enchanting glow of bioluminescent plants. With a career spanning over four decades, Dr. Wood has been a leader in applying synthetic biology to the field of bioluminescence. Starting at UC San Diego, he identified the gene for firefly bioluminescence, which has become a fundamental tool of life science discovery. As Head of Research at Promega Corporation, he led development of diverse bioluminescent technologies for cell metabolism and drug action. Among his distinguished accomplishments are the NanoLuc technologies, which greatly increase light production in a more compact design.

Nicole is the CEO of Allonnia, the bio-ingenuity company dedicated to extracting value where others see waste. She has over 28 years of industry experience leading business strategy, sales and marketing initiatives within water treatment, mining and industry chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and more. Formally head of Strategy, Growth and M&A at DuPont Water Solutions and Global Director at Solvay, Nicole has deep industry knowledge and experience with companies tackling critical industrial and environmental issues. She believes that biotechnology will revolutionize the way we can leverage waste as a resource.

Kristina Buozyte is an award-winning Lithuanian writer and director. She established herself as the creative co-force behind the award-winning movies VANISHING WAVES and THE COLLECTRESS. She is also the founder and CEO of Natrix Natrix, an audiovisual company that produces elevated genre films and immersive virtual reality experiences. In 2022, Natrix Natrix developed and produced Lithuanian-French-Belgium feature film VESPER as a sci-fi drama that premiered in the 56th Karlovy Vary IFF and was released globally. To date, Kristina's three films have garnered approximately 30 prizes across international film festivals.

Prateek serves as the Founder and CEO of BIOWEG, a pioneering company dedicated to providing the personal care and agriculture industries with ingredients free from fossil fuels, leveraging zero-waste circular methodologies, advanced fermentation techniques, innovative formulations, and the principles of green chemistry. Before establishing BIOWEG, Prateek's professional journey included a significant period in strategy consulting at EY-Parthenon. His scholarly pursuits reached a zenith with a Ph.D. from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, under the tutelage of Nobel laureate Prof. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard.

Stephan joined Vivici as CEO in March 2023, bringing 20 years of experience in the biotech industry to the role. Prior to that he led the Dairy Cultures & Food Enzymes business unit at IFF, building on the experience gained in the food enzymes business at Novozymes. Stephan has worked in and helped scale two start-ups: Evolva, a company producing high-value natural products through fermentation, and Biognosys, an advanced protein analytics company. Stephan is a senior strategic leader passionate about building organizations that innovate with purpose, whether they are start-ups or large market leaders. In his tenure in the biotechnology and food industry Stephan has gained experience across sales, marketing, business development, R&D and business unit leadership. Stephan holds a Master in Protein Engineering and PhD in Biotechnology from the ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and an MBA from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland).

Stephane has over 20 years of academic and corporate R&D experience of environmental and industrial biotechs. During his PhD, he developed new molecular tools to optimize plant-microbe interactions applied to the biodegradation of recalcitrant pollutants like Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). For his postdoctoral work in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, he developed new tools and systems ranging from the control of single molecules to industrial processes. As Founder and CEO of Zymtronix he has created the company’s core technology, directed the company’s product development, and fostered investor and corporate partnerships.

Dr. Stefan K. Baier, Dipl. -Ing., FRSC serves as the CSO of Aqua Cultured Foods, Inc. and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, School of Chemical Engineering, in Brisbane, Australia. Stefan is a member of the Journal of Texture Studies editorial board, member of the scientific advisory board for Food Oral Processing and an associate editor with Frontiers | Food and Soft Materials. Stefan received his undergraduate degree in Food Engineering & Technology from the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität in Bonn, Germany and his Ph.D. in Food Science from UMass Amherst. Formerly the Head of Food Science & Technology for the Bühler Group AG, Senior Director of Food Science at Motif FoodWorks, R&D Fellow with PepsiCo and a Senior Scientist at Cargill, Stefan has over 21 years in the Food Industry.

Todd Beckman leads the Verb Biotics vision and team to apply biotechnology, advanced science, and intentional development to deliver microbiome health ingredients that advance human health. He has over 30 years’ experience leading food technology and industry-disruptive consumer product brands. At Verb, his mission is to deliver function-first microbiome health solutions where consumers can truly say “I feel the effect;” moving microbiome science from labs to lives. Prior to Verb Biotics, Todd was the Co-Founder and President, COO, CEO at the well-loved probiotic drink brand, GoodBelly. In this role, he headed brand innovation, sales, and supply chain operations. Prior to launching GoodBelly, he was an integral part of the success at White Wave, where he was a key executive on the scaling of Silk Soymilk products prior to the acquisition by Dean Foods. After the acquisition, Todd was responsible for strategic planning and integration of the White Wave, Horizon Organic and Dean National brands.

Professor Munro has over 25 years’ research and development experience, including at Amgen where he held executive roles focussed on the translation of molecules from research, through clinical trials, regulatory approval, and global licensure. This portfolio included a diverse range of programs spanning novel biologics, small molecules, nucleic acid-based, cell-based and gene-based therapies. As Senior Vice President of Therapeutics at Microba Life Sciences, Professor Munro leads the Company’s therapeutic strategy to progress its drug development programs and pharma partnering engagements. Professor Munro completed postdoctoral studies in cell biology and developmental genetics at Harvard Medical School and the University of Cambridge and has a PhD in Protein Biochemistry from the University of Queensland.

Dr. Weslee Glenn has spent his career studying plants–how they make molecules we co-opt as medicines, how they respond to stress, and how they can be protected from insects. To date, he has co-authored several patent applications and scientific publications, including work that Plant Physiology designated as a “Breakthrough Technology.” As Vice President of Innovation at Ayana Bio, Wes designs cellular technology to produce plant bioactives. His goal is to develop modern clean methods that harness nature’s nutrients and conserve the environment. Prior to joining Ayana Bio, Wes was the Director of Metabolic Engineering at Provivi, where he led a team of strain engineers and bioinformatics scientists to develop natural pest control molecules. There, he also volunteered with several service groups, including the Environmental Advisory Commission for the City of Pasadena, California. Wes earned his Ph.D. from MIT and was supported by a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. Following his doctoral studies in chemistry, Wes ventured to Caltech’s chemical engineering department where he conducted independent research as a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and a UNCF/Merck Postdoctoral Fellow.