Elizabeth Grice

Elizabeth A. Grice, Ph.D. is the Sandra Lazarus Professor and Vice Chair of Basic Science Research in the Department of Dermatology, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology, at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Grice’s scientific training began as an undergraduate at Luther College, followed by a Ph.D. in Human Genetics from Johns Hopkins University. Her post-doctoral work at the NIH pioneered sequencing-based approaches to profile the topographic and temporal diversity of the healthy human skin microbiome. Since 2012, Dr. Grice leads a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and trainees, integrating genomics, microbiology, skin biology, and immunology to investigate the skin microbiota. Dr. Grice is Director of the Penn Skin Biology and Diseases Resource Center and Co-Director of the Penn Dermatology Research Training Program. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Society of Investigative Dermatology, and on the editorial boards of Genome Research and Microbiome. Dr. Grice has received numerous awards for her work and is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Cheri Chu

Dr. Cheri Chu is currently an Associate Director of R&D and Microbiome Science Leader at Unilever. Since joining the company in 2012, Dr. Chu has held roles across R&D hubs in China and the U.S., leading projects focused on fundamental microbiome research for skin and scalp. She drives scientific strategy and global innovation in microbiome science, translating research into impactful consumer products.
Dr. Chu holds a B.S. in Life Sciences from National Taiwan University, an M.S. in Immunology from Imperial College London School of Medicine, and a Ph.D. in Immunology from King’s College London School of Medicine.

Dan Brownell

Dan Brownell is the Senior Director of Research and Development at AOBiome Therapeutics, responsible for leading their preclinical and R&D programs since joining in 2018. Dan brings 20 years of scientific experience, with a focus on the use of microorganisms to achieve positive outcomes. At AOBiome, Dan leads a high-performing team of scientists responsible for better understanding the mechanisms of action of Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria and their use as a treatment for inflammatory disease. Prior to AOBiome, Dan held diverse roles within the biotech community, including in the fields of rapid diagnostics, synthetic biology, and biofuels.

Jessica O’Connell

Jessica O’Connell co-chairs Covington & Burling’s market-leading global Food, Drug, and Device Practice Group. Drawing from nearly twenty years of experience working at FDA and in private practice, Jessica provides strategic advice to a broad range of companies and trade associations in navigating regulatory frameworks and engaging with food and drug regulatory bodies and Congress. She works closely with clients to develop product strategies that are low-risk from both a regulatory and litigation perspective while also meeting marketing goals and objectives. She also regularly counsels clients regarding potential crises, such as recalls, regulator investigations, and other unanticipated regulatory attention. Jessica previously held the position of Associate Chief Counsel for Food at FDA. Jessica received a bachelor’s degree in biology and physics from the University of Virginia, an MPH from Johns Hopkins University, and a JD from Georgetown University Law Center.

Eric Chun-Ming Huang

Professor Eric Huang’s research with 128 peer-reviewed research articles has been focused on therapeutic microbiome where microbes are used for development of vaccines, probiotics and other therapeutics.

Jared Kehe

A passionate, innovative biotechnologist with expertise in microbial ecology, microbiome science, and microfluidics, Jared is an original inventor of Concerto’s platform technology, kChip. As a co-founder of Concerto, Jared oversees all product discovery and ongoing technological development of kChip. Jared applies a meticulous and rigorous approach to all of Concerto’s scientific pursuits. He holds a PhD in Biological Engineering from MIT (NSF Fellow, Presidential Fellow), where he worked with Prof. Paul Blainey to develop kChip and apply it to foundational questions in microbial ecology.

Oliver Liu

Oliver is a seasoned scientist/entrepreneur/executive with over 24 years of experience building and commercializing cutting-edge biotechnologies.  Over the past 13 years, his work has focused on developing metagenomic technologies that enable deep, high-quality access to complex microbiomes such as the soil, as well as bioinformatic and molecular approaches to mine this unique diversity for commercially valuable applications across drug discovery, agriculture, industrial enzymes, and consumer care.

Prior to Topaz Biosciences, Oliver co-founded Radiant Genomics, a metagenomics discovery platform company that was acquired by Zymergen, Inc. in 2018, as well as Slingshot Biosciences, a synthetic cell technology company.  Oliver also served as VP of Metagenomics at Zymergen where he led a team of 65 scientists that built and leveraged metagenomic approaches across Zymergen business lines.  Oliver graduated from Harvard University with a Ph.D. from the University of California San Francisco.

Ivana Lokobauer

Amina Bouslimani

Dr. Amina Bouslimani is an Associate Principal Scientist and Project Leader at L’Oréal North America Research & Innovation. A leading expert in skin microbiome research, she brings over 14 years of experience to L’Oréal, driving innovation in this critical area of skincare research. She leads several key projects focused on developing novel microbiome-based technologies to address skin and scalp conditions. Her work also aims to translate cutting-edge microbiome science into innovative skincare solutions. Dr. Bouslimani earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry and biomedical sciences at the University of Montpellier in France where she developed metabolomics tools for clinical research. She further honed her expertise during seven years at the University of California San Diego in Prof. Pieter Dorrestein laboratory, advancing the omics-based analysis of skin metabolites and their associated microbes. Dr. Amina Bouslimani’s work in skin microbiome research and her dedication to advancing the field make her a distinguished figure in her profession. Her work continues to impact and shape our understanding of skin health and beauty.

Feranmi Aboderin

Feranmi is a Scientist I at Arcaea, working on the Skin Microbiome team. Passionate about microbiome research and bioinformatics, he has been an integral part of multiple projects aimed at innovating personal care products through microbiome science. His work focuses on developing methods for modulating the skin microbiome community in vitro and in-vivo, and investigating the composition and functional capacity of the skin microbiome for axillary and scalp applications. He holds a Master of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Obafemi Awolowo University.

Maya Ivanjesku

A visionary formulation scientist and QA/QC specialist with nearly 30 years of experience spearheading product development and quality control initiatives, specializing in pharmaceutical, biotech, and cosmetic products. Renowned for pioneering innovative solutions in probiotic skincare formulations, OTC, Rx and drug delivery technologies. Proven ability to implement robust quality systems, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive market success in competitive landscapes. CEO of ABN Consulting Group, NSF Advisory Board Member, Speaker and Educator.

Elsa Jungman

Dr. Elsa Jungman is a leading expert in skin health and microbiome innovation. With a Ph.D. in skin barrier function, she has worked with major companies like L’Oréal, K18, and AOBiome. Her research into the skin microbiome led her to see its potential in transforming the consumer health and beauty industry, prompting her to launch her own company. In 2020, she introduced a microbiome-friendly skincare line and a direct-to-consumer microbiome test kit, available at retailers like Credo Beauty and FaceHaus. By 2022, she founded HelloBiome, a B2B AI platform that leverages microbiome data to support innovation in clinical research and personalized care. Dr. Jungman’s achievements have been recognized with the French-American Entrepreneurship Award, and she is the editor of the fifth edition of the Handbook of Cosmetic Science and Technology. She currently lives in San Francisco with her family.

Alexander Buko

Dr. Alexander M. Buko brings over 50 years of expertise in proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics, beginning with his graduate work in the mid-1970s. His distinguished career includes roles as a Staff Fellow at the NIH Bureau of Biologics (4 years), Head of Structural Biology at Abbott Laboratories (18 years), Senior Director of Translational Biology at Biogen (10 years), and Vice President and Senior Analyst at Human Metabolome Technologies (12 years). Dr. Buko’s extensive experience in biomarker discovery and data analysis offers a unique perspective on deciphering the metabolomic language of the microbiome and its impact on human health.

Lada Rasochova

Lada Rasochova, PhD MBA is the Founder & CEO of Dermala, a consumer dermatology company developing patented, science-backed microbiome treatments for acne, eczema, and skin health. Previously spent 15+ years in biotech and pharma before joining UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management, where I founded and led the Rady Venture Fund and the Sullivan Center for Entrepreneurship.