Speakers

Expand/Collapse

• A nutritional and medical science professional with proven industrial and academic track records
• Equipped with an in-depth knowledge and experience in nutritional product development, innovations and communication – Ideation to Launch and Continuous Improvements
• Enjoying a successful industrial career as an R&D liaison and and innovation scientist followed by a successful acadamic research and teaching career as a research assistant professor
• Strong communicator of complex and up-to-date scientific information in an easy to understand language across a broader audience

Dr Muriel Derrien is senior scientist at Danone Research (Palaiseau, France).  She has a long-standing experience in gut microbiota, that started in 2002 at Wageningen University. Her PhD, part of an  European project, focussed on the characterization of mucin-degrading bacterial communities in human, and their association with host. Notably, she isolated Akkermansia muciniphila, which is now of the most promising next-generation beneficial microbe. During her post-doc research, she worked on more inter-disciplinary projects within the Dutch consortium Top Institute in Food and Nutrition, where she was part of several projects to elucidate the interaction between gut microbiota and host, following dietary interventions. In 2010, she joined Danone Research in France, where she is currently leading national and international projects on the topic of nutrition and gut microbiota, and overall the gut microbiota research. Her major ambition is to elucidate how diet including next-generation probiotics, can be selected for specific functional trait, to enrich gut microbiota function, taking into account of gut microbiota variability amongst subjects, and ultimately improve human health.

Dr. Kyle, Chairman and CSO of Evolve Biosystems Inc, is a 30-year veteran of biotech, having co-founded a range of successful biotech companies in the fields of nutrition and health (including Martek Biosciences, acquired in 2011 for $1.1 Billion). David combines a distinguished scientific background with significant commercial acumen, has published over 70 scientific articles, edited two books, is the named inventor on over 250 patents, and was inducted into the US Technology Hall of Fame in 2009, for his contributions to Science and Industry.

Alan has worked in the world of nutritional foods, supplements and ingredients for the last ten years, before that having spent most of his career with large global companies such as Unilever and Tetra Pak.  He has worked in various countries around the world and was CEO for Tetra Pak North America before joining NextFoods, the makers of GoodBelly Probiotic Juice.  He was involved at its very inception in 2008, when he helped secure the license of a patented probiotic strain from Sweden and participated in naming the product and raising the initial outside capital. In addition to being the CEO of NextFoods, Alan sits on (or has sat on) a number of boards in the natural foods and packaging  industries, working closely with the founders, investors and management teams.  These include companies that are funded by venture capital and private equity investors.  He has also presided over numerous exits to strategic and PE buyers. He was Chairman of both SunOpta Inc, a billion dollar public company, and the Carton Council, an industry organization established to promote the recycling of beverage cartons, which he founded. Alan is an active mentor of founders and CEO’s in both established and start-up companies. He holds a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Cape Town. In his private time, he surfs, plays tennis and golf and skis in Colorado, his current home.

Sharon Donovan received her B.S. and Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of California, Davis and completed a post-doctoral fellowship i at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the Melissa M. Noel Endowed Chair and Professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana.  Her laboratory conducts basic and translational research in the area of pediatric nutrition, focusing on optimizing intestinal, cognitive and microbiome development. She has over 190 publications and book chapters and has garnered over $35M in grant funding from NIH, USDA, private industry and foundations. She serves on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for American Advisory Committee and is President of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in 2017.

Dr. Sharma received his M.S. Microbiology (hons.) and Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology. He is a highly motivated scientist with more than 17 years of multidisciplinary research experience and expertise in Intellectual Property (IP) Law. Previously, Dr. Sharma worked as a postdoctoral scientist at Mayo Clinic for more 10 years, where he was actively involved in Innovative and translational research with a key focus to develop novel therapies to treat patients. During his research career, Dr. Sharma has published over 50 research articles/reviews/book chapters related to the field of Microbiology, Microbiome, Immunology, Personalize Medicine, Drug & Biomarker Discovery, Genomics, Cardiology, Nano-medicine, and Patents. Dr. Sharma also serves as editorial board member and reviewer for several scientific journals in the area of his expertise. Recently, Dr. Sharma has graduated from the University Of Minnesota Law School with a Master of Science in Patent Law. His interests include Translational Research, Clinical Trials, Regulatory Affairs, and Intellectual Property Law.