Biotechnology Panel Discussion

Spring 2024 Panel Discussion - Biotechnology
Panelists:
Nieves Martinez-Marshall
Nieves is the Founder and CEO of Novel Farms, a company that grows animal cells to create sustainable, slaughter-free, and environmentally friendly meat. Their technology has significantly cut production costs, creating a marketable product on par with the price of traditional meat. She previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley.
Nieves is a Breakthrough Energy Fellow, an organization founded by Bill Gates that supports sustainable solutions with a goal of reaching global net zero emissions. She is also a recipient of the Berkeley-based Activate Entrepreneurial Fellowship.
Nieves holds a PhD in molecular and cell biology from Humboldt University of Berlin and a Master of Science in biochemistry and Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Zaragoza in Spain.
Wesley Jackson
Wesley is the Founder, President, and CSO of Valitor, a biotechnology company seeking to develop protein-based medications with goals of reducing medicine cost, decreasing the frequency of administration, and optimally targeting diseases with increased drug potency and tissue retention. Currently, Valitor is specifically targeting vision related diseases, but their technology can be used in a myriad of ways, from cancer treatments to treating joint diseases.
Before Valitor, Wesley was a Nonclinical Study Director at EndoOrthopaedics, a Staff Scientist at the Henry M Jackson Foundation, and he conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Wesley received a PhD in a joint program in bioengineering at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley.
Sasha Howes
Sasha is a Manufacturing Science and Technology (MSAT) Engineer at UPSIDE Foods, a cell-cultivated meat company. UPSIDE Foods was the first company of its kind, and is building the largest cultivated meat center in the world. Previously, Sasha worked as a Process Development Engineer at Orbillion Bio, another cultivated meat company.
Sasha also has experience applying biotechnology in the pharmaceutical industry. As a Technical Development Engineer at Genentech, she became an expert in cell culture and contributed to transformative medical research. Aside from her work in engineering, Sasha has served as the lead for several Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion groups.
Sasha received her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.