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Leila has a Ph.D. and postdoctoral study in cell biology, with over 10 years of experience conducting research on fundamental cellular processes. Inspired by her own infant feeding challenges and background in microscopy, cell culture, and molecular biology, she co-founded BIOMILQ in 2020 with the idea to create cell-cultured human milk with breakthrough mammary biotechnology. She’s passionate about developing novel applications for cell culture technology to address the world’s most pressing problems. Additionally, Leila has worked extensively in scholarly publishing as an academic editor and in scientific communications as a writer and as a strategic consultant with global pharmaceutical companies. What started as a personal struggle to feed her newborn son in 2009 is now a full-throttle pursuit of nothing less than the betterment of our health and our planet.
Wade has over 20 years of experience and expertise in Bioprocess Engineering and membrane bioreactor design. He is committed to exploring and developing biotechnology production platforms that focus on sustainability. Wade’s background is in Biotech and Engineering, and he has previously founded & co-founded several start-ups in the biotech/engineering space. Some of his previous roles include COO at a bioreactor development company he co-founded and Director of Research & Development at a cellular agriculture start-up before joining BIOMILQ. Wade joined BIOMILQ initially as an engineering consultant before taking on the role of Director of Bioprocess Development. At BIOMILQ, Wade leads the Bioprocess Development team focusing on developing and optimizing bioprocesses for expanding BIOMILQ’s proprietary cell-cultured human milk biotechnology platform. Wade is passionate about human-centered design and seeking solutions to complex problems through biotechnology. His decision to join BIOMILQ was ultimately inspired by co-founder Leila Strickland’s vision of developing a technology platform to help build the future of food for infant nutrition.
Jaci joined BIOMILQ following twelve years as a People Operations leader in high-growth food biotech companies. Previously Jaci joined Impossible Foods on day one of the company and spent eight years scaling the team and culture, including through FDA approval, market launch, and international expansion. From there, Jaci moved over to cultivated meat, spending the next four years at UPSIDE Foods, scaling the team tenfold through multiple first-in-the-world milestones. She’s excited about moving into cultivated breastmilk and joined BIOMILQ to continue her passion for building intentional culture and high-performing teams in mission-driven environments.
Our Board
Leila has a Ph.D. and postdoctoral study in cell biology, with over 10 years of experience conducting research on fundamental cellular processes. Inspired by her own infant feeding challenges and background in microscopy, cell culture, and molecular biology, she co-founded BIOMILQ in 2020 with the idea to create cell-cultured human milk with breakthrough mammary biotechnology. She’s passionate about developing novel applications for cell culture technology to address the world’s most pressing problems. Additionally, Leila has worked extensively in scholarly publishing as an academic editor and in scientific communications as a writer and as a strategic consultant with global pharmaceutical companies. What started as a personal struggle to feed her newborn son in 2009 is now a full-throttle pursuit of nothing less than the betterment of our health and our planet.
Christine Ring, Ph.D., J.D., has served as a member of our board of directors since February 2022, and is now BIOMILQ’s Board Chair. Christine is currently the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. Prior to joining Nurix, Christine held multiple positions assisting companies protect intellectual property, engage in licensing transactions, raise capital, and transition from private companies into public companies. Christine holds an A.B. in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of California, San Francisco, and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Kartik Dharmadhikari joined the BIOMILQ Board of Directors in 2021 after the company’s Series A fundraising round, led by Novo Holdings. Kartik specializes in growth equity and venture capital, focusing on opportunities across food, nutrition, agriculture, and chemicals & materials. Kartik holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Northwestern University.
Chris Rivest joined the BIOMILQ Board of Directors in 2020 after BIOMILQ’s seed fundraising round, led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures. As a BEV investor and representative, Chris has vast industry knowledge of life sciences, biotechnology, business development, and clean technology and has a particular focus on finding climate-tech companies that leverage modern technology mega-trends to accelerate the rate of development and deployment of innovative technologies and business models. Chris received his BS from MIT in Mechanical Engineering.
Sara Eshelman joined the BIOMILQ Board of Directors in 2021 after the company’s series A fundraising round, which included Spero Ventures, a Venture Capital firm that invests in technology building sustainable and life-improving futures. Sara has experience in life science, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. As an investor at Spero, Sara seeks out and fuels the success of purpose-driven entrepreneurs building solutions to the challenges of working and living in the 21st century. Sara holds an MSc in Development Economics and International Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA from Northwestern University.
Spero Ventures
