Invaio Sciences Announces Formation of World-Class Scientific Advisory Board

News provided by

Feb 03, 2021, 09:48 ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Invaio Sciences, Inc., a Flagship Pioneering company focused on unlocking the potential of the planet's interdependent natural systems to solve pressing agriculture, nutrition and environmental challenges, announces today the appointment of new academic leaders as members to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

"We are delighted to announce a distinguished group of star scholars of the systems of nature, who are joining our Scientific Advisory Board," says Gerardo Ramos, Invaio's Chief Scientific Officer. "Invaio is tackling unsolved problems in agriculture with novel targeted approaches that deliver natural biological active molecules and solutions in balance with natural systems. When digitized at the macro- and micro-levels using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, we are just at the cliff of vast breakthrough. The contribution of Invaio's new SAB members offers our team and the agricultural sector new insights in how best to push the envelope with biological discovery."

Backgrounds of Scientific Advisory Board Members

Steve Jacobsen, PhD is a Professor of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology and Biological Chemistry at UCLA, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Jacobsen was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2011. His lab develops groundbreaking genetic and genomic techniques to study epigenetic gene silencing in plants. Dr. Jacobsen chairs Invaio's Scientific Advisory board and has been instrumental in building a world-class SAB. He has already brought remarkable and impactful scientific insights to Invaio's Research and Development program and has participated in identifying and recruiting some of the top talent in Invaio's R&D team. Dr. Jacobsen is also the scientific co-founder of Inari Agriculture, a Flagship Pioneering Company.

Randy Schekman, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, at University of California, Berkeley, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Dr. Schekman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 2013 for contributions to understanding vesicle trafficking. He joined the Invaio SAB to develop insights and experimental approaches to developing and harnessing vesicles to deliver biological molecules to plants to enhance plant health or control pathogens.

Roger Innes, PhD is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at Indiana University. The Innes lab works on understanding the molecular and cellular basis of disease resistance in plants and has been examining endomembrane trafficking in plant cells in the context of active defense responses. Dr. Innes joined the SAB of Invaio to help the company utilize these natural defense mechanisms which help to discover new modes of protection against insect and fungal pests.

Rodolphe Barrangou, PhD is a Distinguished Professor at NC State University. Dr. Barrangou has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Inventors and American Academy of Microbiology. He has experience with various start-up companies in the commercialization of innovative technologies, including Inari Agriculture, a Flagship Pioneering Company. He will bring his experience in the interplay between phages and their hosts, to enable the exploitation of bacterial viruses by Invaio to modulate Ag microbiomes.

Yi Tang, PhD is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA. His lab explores natural product biosynthesis and biocatalysts ultimately identifying novel natural products. Dr. Tang brings to the Invaio SAB expertise in the discovery of small molecules which have the potential to become innovative and groundbreaking products when combined with Invaio's biological delivery technology platforms.

Allison Hansen, PhD is an Associate Professor Department of Entomology at the University of California Riverside. The Hansen lab is interested in ecological and evolutionary genomics of insect-microbe interactions. Dr. Hansen has been active in advising Invaio R&D in the understanding interactions between insects, insect microbiome and host plants, to develop strategies for mitigating impacts of insect-transmitted diseases.

Bruno Basso, PhD is the Foundation Professor Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan State University. His research focuses sustainability of agricultural systems, digital agriculture, carbon, water and nutrients fluxes across agricultural landscapes under current and future climates. Dr. Basso is the scientific co-founder of the Flagship Pioneering company, CIBO Technologies.

These new appointments will help the company navigate a deeper understanding of natural systems for the betterment of food production and stability of the planet.

About Invaio Sciences:
Invaio Sciences is a multi-platform technology company that unlocks the potential of the planet's interdependent systems to address pressing agricultural, nutritional, and environmental challenges. Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2018, Invaio leverages discoveries from diverse fields including human therapeutics, agriculture, environmental science, and advanced manufacturing. The company's deep understanding of the physiology of insects, plants and trees, together with its novel integrated solutions approach, promises to refine agricultural practices and reduce the need for pesticides globally. Invaio Sciences is dedicated to developing solutions that are mindful of beneficial insects, bad for pests, and safer for us all. For more information, please visit www.invaio.com

SOURCE Invaio Sciences