Angel Fernández I Marti, PhD
Dr. Angel Fernandez holds a Ph.D. in Plant Genetics and brings over two decades of expertise in genetic engineering and plant biotechnology in entities such as UC Davis and UC Berkeley. His career is marked by pioneering contributions to the use of CRISPR technology in agriculture, leading several successful projects aimed at improving crop trait profiles. Dr. Fernandez’s extensive knowledge of applications of Next-Generation Sequencing and gene-editing in diverse plants make him uniquely qualified to lead the company’s gene-editing initiatives.
Chandrakanth Emani, PhD
Crop Transformation. Dr. Chandrakanth Emani holds a Ph.D. degree in Genetics and Plant Molecular Biology and has been instrumental in the development of the company’s tissue culture and transformation innovations. With an extensive background and over 25 years hands-on experience in genetic transformation in diverse monocot and dicot crops, multiple patents in plant genetic engineering, he has successfully managed multiple projects that have transformed agricultural practices. His role in engineering peanut plants to produce low-cholesterol oils highlights his capability in aligning scientific advancements with market needs.
Arturo Ortega, PhD
Gene Editing. Dr. Arturo Ortega, with a doctorate in Plant Molecular Biology from UC Berkeley as a part of the research team of the Nobel Laureate CRISPR discoverer Jennifer Doudna, has a strong track record in advancing biotechnology for commercial applications. His expertise in
designing transformation constructs utilizing the CRISPR-Cas9 tools drives innovation in plant
biotechnology with a focus on sustainable solutions. His expertise in translating scientific
discoveries into viable product offerings ensures the company’s technologies meet global consumer demands for healthier edible oils.
Monica Alandete-Saez, PhD
Monica holds a PhD in Plant Molecular Biology and is a certified Patent Agent. She has deep experience in contract negotiation and partnership development and management with global partners, focusing on the Agtech, plant biotech, and energy industries. In her past role as Partnership Developer at Climate Corp, she managed a portfolio of external collaborations to enable digital R&D pipelines, drive growth and execute external partnerships strategy. Prior to that, she worked at the technology transfer and tech commercialization space at UCDavis where she conducted market research, FTOs and patent and technology landscapes to create and execute commercialization and licensing strategies.
