Our Team.

Management

Luna Yu
Founder, CEO

  • Luna is the founder and CEO of Genecis Bioindustries. She completed her Bachelors and Masters of Science from the University of Toronto. She previously co-founded and built two profitable software startups, both of which still operate today.

Hasitha de Alwis
Director of Downstream and Analytics

  • Hasitha has over 12 years of experience working in various fields in biomedicine, nanomaterials, and biotechnology in both industrial and academic levels. Hasitha has successfully conducted research projects and published multiple patents and articles in a variety of high-impact-factor peer-reviewed journals. As Director of Downstream, Hasitha is involved in all aspects of chemical purification processing, as well as the development of the analytics platform of Genecis.

Andrew Chiapetta
Director of Fermentation

  • Andrew holds a B.Sc. in Biochemical Engineering from Queen’s University, a Master’s of Biotechnology from the University of Toronto, and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He has over 9 years of experience in leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, Andrew led Upstream Manufacturing Technology and Process Validation teams for a new vaccine manufacturing facility project with a total investment of $1B. He has also developed fermentation processes from bench scale to 4000L, encompassing seed production to primary purification process steps.

Michael Williamson
Director of Materials and Product

  • Michael holds an M.Eng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a B.Eng in Materials Engineering from McMaster University. He has a passion for working closely with customers to develop high-quality products and drop-in solutions that work best for them. He has over 10 years of formal laboratory, mechanical and design experience and holds a Professional Engineering designation.

Patrick Neill
Sr. Director of Engineering and Operations

  • Patrick has over 30 years of industrial process and product development experience including 20 years in senior engineering leadership roles and over 7 years directing the research and development of biochemical process technologies. His expertise includes design and construction of pilot, demonstration, and full-scale industrial plants. He has a customer-focused attitude and focuses on developing cost-effective innovative products, processes, and solutions to meet end-user needs.

  • Abdullah is an enthusiastic individual eager to contribute his skills to the Upstream R&D department. With degrees in BASc Chemical Engineering and Hons BSc Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, Abdullah has a broad range of knowledge and skills to apply to their role. Although he has no prior experience in the field, Abdullah has demonstrated a strong work ethic, a desire to learn, and a commitment to personal growth and development. He has excelled in previous endeavors, demonstrating the ability to work efficiently under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously. With his passion for biotechnology, Abdullah is excited to be a part of Genecis and look forward to contributing to the team’s success.

  • Dr. Adam Westbrook received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. His research focused on developing tools for genetic engineering of bacteria, and their application to strain engineering to produce value-added materials. Dr. Westbrook also has extensive experience with fermentation and has a background in traditional Chemical Engineering. He has published several peer-reviewed publications in high-caliber journals in the fields of metabolic engineering and biotechnology, and has received numerous scholarships and awards at the institutional, provincial, and national levels.

Alena Pratasouskaya
Fermentation Lab Technician

Alice Cullen
Project Coordinator — Finance

Calbert
Thomas
Maintenance Mechanic

Catrina Huyer
Chemical Process Engineering Associate

  • Calbert is a hands-on industrial engineer with a background in the marines spanning over the course of 15 yrs. He completed his studies at the Stennis Space Centre Mississippi (USA), (MPT) Maritime Professional Training Center (USA) and furthered his studies at Garinchem in the Netherlands. He has a breadth of knowledge and experience in Metal and Fiber Glass Fabrication, mechanical engineering and maintenance. He is now committed to integrating his skills, knowledge and experience at Genecis.

  • After completing her B.Tech in Biotechnology at McMaster University, Cat completed her M.Eng in Chemical Engineering at McGill University, where she developed green electronic biomaterials. She has also received an award to work with the biochemical engineering institute at the University of Stuttgart in Germany, where she tested methods to improve the growth of bacteria and identified how different bioreactor conditions changed bacteria's DNA. Cat has a passion for using biological processes for sustainable technologies and is excited to be doing so at Genecis.

Dr. Adam Westbrook
Senior Manager of Strain Engineering

Abdullah Ibnu Mohammed
Fermentation Lab Technician

  • Alice has 7 years experience working in support and coordination roles, from hospitality management, administrative assistance, and teaching assistance at Sheridan College and University of Toronto. Before joining the Genecis team, Alice ran full-scale operations at EarthPup, an eco-conscious pet food company addressing the food waste issue in Canada.

  • Alena has a BSc and MSc in Biochemistry from Wilfrid Laurier University. During college, she won 3rd place in the Chemistry-Biology Olympics of Belarus, and was awarded a full scholarship for University. At GlycoNet, she was elected vice-chair of the Trainee Association from '17-18 and served as an organizer for the Symposium for Canadian researchers in the area of glycomics. She has also won multiple awards including the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and her work has been published in Nature communications. Outside of science, Alena has a passion to help children to learn and to reach their full potential.

Berner Novak
Mechanical Engineer Technologist

Andy La
Analytical
Chem Lab Technician

  • Berner is a hands-on Mechanical Engineering Industrial Designer, with a background in industrial automation, metal fabrication, business and marketing, with over 14 years of experience successfully designing, developing and managing several manufacturing projects in North and South America. Now, he is committed to integrating his skills to help bringing Genecis' innovative and sustainable technologies into large-scale production.

  • Andy completed his H.B.Sc from the University of Waterloo, where he specializes in Biochemistry with a minor in French. He has a broad range of experience from working in the office for Health Canada or doing field/lab work for small companies. This is his first opportunity working for a biotechnology company with such a unique focus and he hopes to gain new skills while sharpening old ones.

David Crisante
Junior Scientist

Deeksha Shetty
Scientist

  • David graduated with a BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics with honours, and an MSc in Microbial Genetics, both from McMaster University. He brings over four years of experience in metabolic engineering, where he has specialized in upstream processes such as microbial strain creation and fermentation optimization. His past has mostly focused on engineering strains that can produce high-value products from waste feed, as he is passionate about using biological tools to tackle pressing environmental issues.

  • Deeksha has M.Sc in Applied Microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan and specializes in genome-scale regulatory networks, alongside extensive experience in molecular and microbiology techniques. Her Masters research earned her the prestigious “2019 Alltech Young Scientist” award featuring entrants from 120 universities and 40 countries. She has published her work in various peer-reviewed journals and has won several scholarships.

DeLaine Mayer
Head of Partner Success

Dylan Pardy
Operations Manager

  • As Head of Partner Success, DeLaine is working towards developing scalable solutions for plastic pollution reduction and food waste mitigation, enabling partners to achieve their sustainability and climate impact goals. DeLaine holds an M.S. from New York University in Global Affairs and Energy/Environmental Policy and is an M.S. candidate in Colorado School of Mines' Space Resources program.

  • Dylan graduated from Durham college with an electrical engineering technician degree with honours. He has experience working in both commercial and industrial electrical applications. Dylan also has a strong desire for continued improvement, and are described by others as someone who learns quickly and is always keeping himself busy.

Erik Kolisnyk
Assistant Operator and Lab Technician

Esrat Jahan
Polymer Lab Technician

  • Erik Graduated from Carleton University with a H.B.Sc in Chemistry with a minor in Japanese. His thesis was written on the synthesis of P-doped zinc oxide nanowires through the hydrothermal method. Erik had spent many years working at a garden center, where the excessive amount of plastic waste inspired him to assist in a solution to the global plastic waste problem. This is his first opportunity working for a company that is dedicated to solving this issue.

  • Esrat Jahan has an MASc in Mechanical Engineering from York University and BASc in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. She has more than two years of experience of working in laboratory and manufacturing environments. Her research work was mainly focused on developing polymer-based membranes for wastewater treatment.

Dr. Fari Fathi
Health and Safety Officer

Gloria Gao
Growth Marketer

  • Dr. Fari Fathi has obtained Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Toronto. She has over 12 years of experience in environmental/occupational health and safety, Laboratory operation, product development and commercialization. A Registered Biological Safety Officer (RBSO) with the Canadian Association for Biological Safety, Fari is also the Mirror committee member of Standard Council of Canada (SCC) in Occupational Health & Safety. She has a diversified health and safety experience with emphasis on occupational and/or environmental health and safety code compliance, chemical and biological safety, hazard analysis, risk assessment, health and safety policy creation, safety data management system, and safety training in industry and academia.

  • Gloria holds a B.Comm from the University of Toronto where she specialized in Finance, Economics, and Statistics. She has extensive experience in the E-commerce and digital marketing space and holds expertise in website design, content marketing, and PPC advertising. She has previously held positions at a multinational integrated marketing agency, as well as in-house marketing for a large home goods manufacturer. She hopes to use her data-driven approach to develop comprehensive marketing strategies to grow brand awareness and user adoption of eco-friendly, sustainable D2C products.

Kate Wymbs
Senior Process Engineer

Kevin Eriksen
Digital Program Manager

  • Kate holds a B.Sc. in Chem Eng from MIT as well as a minor in Theater Arts. She has over 8 years of Process Engineering experience in the Energy & Chemicals industry and her experience spans feasibility studies to front end and detailed engineering design to construction & start-up. Kate is passionate about engineering a sustainable future and has contributed to multi-million dollar projects in renewable fuels, carbon capture and sequestration, environmental compliance, and commodity chemical scale-up. She is thrilled to be working with the Genecis team refining food waste into usable and biodegradable products.

  • Kevin is a University of Toronto graduate specializing in Mechatronics Engineering. He has had a year of professional mechanical work experience at Husky Injection Moulding, where he resolved and improved manufacturing processes. Kevin loves working with automation control systems, he can often be found in a garage workshop tinkering on automated robotics projects.

Liina Sadul
Junior Controls Engineering Associate

Marcos Igreja
Technology Program Manager

  • Liina graduated from the University of Toronto with honours, specializing in Mechatronics engineering and Bioengineering. She has experience working with control systems on many scales, from a small robotic hand to control panels on subway vehicles. Liina has joined multiple robotics teams in her spare time, and is excited to apply her knowledge to sustainable technology designs at Genecis.

  • Marcos holds a B.Eng in Bioresource Engineering from McGill University. He has been with Genecis since its inception, leading efforts to scale-up the core technology, strategic planning, and building up the team. He has won awards including in bioreactor design and technical entrepreneurship. His past experience across Brazil, Hong Kong, and Canada, includes agricultural waste treatment, fermentation engineering, energy management, and technical consulting for start-ups.

  • Mateo achieved a Ph.D. in Engineering, within the field of Biological Engineering, from the University of Guelph. His multiple years of experience span from wet chemistry to polymer processing and materials characterization. His main goal is to employ all his knowledge and skills, in order to reduce the amount of valuable resources being landfilled, while creating ecofriendly and sustainable, value-added products.

  • Mikaela holds a BSE in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from UPenn. She has worked on various novel clean technologies such as algae CCS, biofuels, and solar H2. She has been building bioreactors since middle school and was named one of Canada's Top 20 Under 20.

Junwei Lv
Polymer Development Specialist

Jane Michel
HR Leader

  • Junwei has an M.Eng in Materials and Mechanical Engineering specialized in Composite Materials from Western University. Over his 4 years of research and manufacturing experience, he has led multiple research projects including PHAs and HDPE with different additives investigating their mechanical and thermal properties, and obtained solid understanding on polymer processing. He hopes to utilize all his academic knowledge and practical skills to investigate more possibilities of PHAs applications.

  • Jane holds a B.Comm with a specialization in Human Resources Management from the University of Guelph, a Master’s of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University, and is a Certified Human Resources Professional. She brings with her over 8 years of experience in HR roles in various industries. She is focused on developing the HR strategy and building the talent at Genecis. Jane is passionate about remaining up to date on HR best practices and translating these best practices into the workplace.

Mikaela Preston
Biochemical Engineering Associate

Dr. Mateo Gonzalez
Polymer Development Scientist

  • Nadya completed her H.B.Sc. from University of Toronto, where she specializes in Pharmacology and Toxicology. She has experience working in various research institutions including SickKids, University of Toronto, and NUS. She enjoys doing benchworks and hopes to make impactful contributions to the world.

  • Niamh has 15 years of experience providing administrative support and coordination to a variety of industries including, health care, construction and logistics. Her hope is to utilize her experience and knowledge to aid in Genecis' mission of providing a more sustainable waste solution.

Rajan Manocha
Business Development Lead

Rob Celick
Growth and Partnership Lead

  • Rajan holds a degree in business management specializing in accounting from Western University, a diploma in accounting from Fanshawe college, and has a strong background in Sciences. He has over 7 years of sales management experience, including as President of Sales at EcoHome; led cumulative deals of over $2M and managed a sales team of 15+ members. Rajan’s interest in business development originates from his strong financial background he obtained from his academic and professional experiences.

  • As Head of Growth in his previous organization, Robert led a sustainable packaging consulting project for a $7 billion foodservice multinational, developed a strategic national partnership with Uber Eats, and led domestic and European expansion. He also planned an R&D project to accelerate the breakdown of bioplastics in the composting process. Robert holds a BSc from Western University, and studied abroad in Germany and Switzerland.

  • Sharmaine has a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Chemistry and M.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University, as well as a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McGill University. Her academic research encompassed polymerization kinetics, various synthesis techniques, and material characterization with an overall objective to design high-performance bio-based polymers. She has industrial experience working in process control at a polyethylene manufacturing plant and in research and development of construction adhesives. She is dedicated to developing sustainable processes and materials by applying her combined academic and industrial knowledge.

  • Tia graduated from the University of Toronto with an MSc in Chemistry. She has both academic and professional experience in wastewater analysis and treatment, having worked with municipal wastewater and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). She is passionate about developing methods and materials which help reduce our environmental footprint. 

Niamh Canava
Accounts Payable Coordinator

Nadya Iswari
Junior Scientist

Dr. Sean Sanjabi
Polymer Application Development Engineer

Samra Asem
Office Manager and HR Coordinator

  • Samra completed her LLB (Hons) Law with Psychology at BPP University in England, where she went on to join the in-house Board Secretariat team at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She has almost four years of experience working in professional services, both client facing and in-house, and hopes to bring her experience, knowledge and problem-solving skills to a growing and impactful company like Genecis.

  • Sean achieved a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering – Polymer Processes from Toronto Metropolitan University. He has over 20 years of academic and manufacturing background in the field of Plastic and Rubber processing in some of the most prestigious Canadian universities and manufacturing companies. He is passionate about research and development with over 23 provisional and granted patents and multiple industry awards in the field of Polymer design and engineering. Sean’s core passion is to advance Genecis’s knowledge in materials, processes and products to create new opportunities for business development, improved manufacturing methods and enable real solutions that positively impact the customers.

Tia Chai
Upstream Development Chemist

Sharmaine Luk
Development Chemist

Dr. Vani Sankar
Manager of Upstream Bioprocess R&D

Yu Chee (Chris) Tan
Analytical
Laboratory Technician

  • Dr. Vani Sankar has a PhD in Biotechnology from CSIR – National Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences and Technology, India. She has extensive experience in Bioprocess development and optimization, and 5+ years experience in biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass. Dr. Sankar has worked on research projects involving multiple international collaborations and has several peer reviewed publications to her credit.

  • Yu Chee has completed his studies in Chemical Engineering Technology at Seneca with high honours. Over his 4 years of experience in analytical laboratories, part of his R&D projects is referenced at Seneca College during their curriculum construction. His research in wastewater treatment has also successfully reduced chemical usage and made the process in Peel Region more environment-friendly. At Genecis, he is ready to contribute his skills and knowledge for a more sustainable world.

Zaid Siddiqui
Financial
Controller

Zairon Narine
Plant
Operator

  • Zaid has over 15 years of experience in Finance. He has a passion for creating strong and long-term relationships within various sectors of the organizations. He has extensive experience of working in Finance, Accounting, Internal Control and Audit in different Manufacturing, Leasing and Banking sectors. He has a reputation for creating strong, engaging, and enduring relationships across organizations. Zaid has strong team Leadership skills and communicates effectively with all stakeholders the company.

  • Zairon graduated from Durham College with an electrical engineering technician degree. A self-starter, he has provided general laborer services to a variety of residential clientele, service included general landscaping and installation. Over the years, he has worked with industrial electrical equipment, and has experience both installing and troubleshooting pumps, motors, and process instrumentation equipment. While working as a Line Cook, he has witnessed the amount of food that goes to waste. He is excited to join the Genecis Movement to convert waste into value.