BryoSphere Biotechnologies
Turning moss into sustainable biofactories to make bioactive ingredients for skincare
About Bryosphere
What does BryoSphere do?
BryoSphere Biotechnologies uses moss plants and biotechnology techniques to make rare, plant-derived molecules for use in skincare formulations. Our bioactive ingredients treat a range of skin concerns including hyperpigmentation, inflammation and UV protection.
Why moss?
Moss has been around for almost 500 million years! As these ancient plants evolved to grow on land, they started producing a variety of compounds to protect themselves from the sun's UV radiation. Using biotechnology techniques, we can enhance moss' natural metabolism and create living biofactories that produce rare and effective bioactive ingredients for skincare at high yields
Our mission
We are dedicated to creating a scalable platform that can supply rare, sustainably-made ingredients for skincare companies and beyond.
The team
Hila Behar, Ph.D.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Hila Behar, Ph.D.
Co-founder & CEO
With eight years of experience working in laboratories, Dr. Behar has extensive knowledge of coordinating and carrying out scientific research projects. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia where she conducted multidisciplinary research projects in plant biochemistry and protein characterization. Additionally, she established a moss research centre and generated modified moss strains for the synthesis of enzymes with potential applications in biofuels.
Liz Mahon, Ph.D.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Hila Behar, Ph.D.
Co-founder & CSO
Dr. Mahon has over seven years of experience as a research scientist in plant genetics and biochemistry and has earned both a M.Sc. and Ph.D. Her work has focused on using biotechnology tools to address climate change issues. As part of her doctoral degree at UBC, she successfully engineered several novel biochemical pathways into target plant systems to improve overall feedstock value for biofuel applications. She has extensive experience across a wide array of molecular biology and biochemistry techniques.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Dr. Maisha Farzana earned her PhD from the University of New Brunswick, where she focused on reconstituting complex plant secondary metabolic pathways within microbial and novel plant hosts. With deep expertise in chemical characterization and isolation of plant secondary metabolites, she bridges the fields of plant biology and biotechnology to unlock the potential of natural compounds. Her passion for scientific discovery and meticulous approach to research make her an invaluable member of our team.
Karen Boodram, MBA
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Maisha Farzana Ph.D.
Advisor
Karen Boodram boasts a distinguished 30-year+ career focused on enhancing patient health through the commercialization of cutting-edge medical technologies. Her extensive expertise spans the pharmaceutical realm, where she led the development of drug products/franchises, orchestrating their regulatory compliance, clinical development and marketing. Transitioning into the financial sector, Karen's role as a Life Science analyst centered on propelling the medical innovations of public Life Science companies into commercialization or acquisition. Karen's academic achievements include an MBA, BSc.Pharm., and BSc. Bioch., underlining her knowledge and experience in merging medical innovation with business acumen for improved drug development.
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Advisor
Dr. Anthony Marotta, Ph.D., is a serial entrepreneur focused on innovative health and wellness solutions. A proven scientific and clinical leader, Marotta co-founded Augurex Life Sciences Corp and Peqish Food Group. In his eleven-year tenure at Augurex, he led the development of 14-3-3η biomarker programs, securing approvals and launches globally. At Peqish, Marotta played a crucial role in differentiating the business with a "food is medicine" approach, achieving double-digit profitability. Previously, he served as Director of Business Development at Stressgen Bioreagents, strategically expanding the product portfolio. Marotta holds several patents, has co-authored and presented at various international conferences, and has strong relationships with clinicians worldwide. Marotta began his career in research at Kinetek Pharmaceuticals whilst pursuing his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine at the University of British Columbia.
Richard Gibson, M.Sc.
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Anthony Marotta, Ph.D.
Advisor
Richard Gibson has over 30 years of plant science innovation experience in private, multi-national and government R&D organizations with leadership roles in agricultural field research, enterprise and information architecture, bioindustrial innovation, marketing, investment attraction, product and business development.
He has extensive experience in strategy development, proposal, project and program creation, negotiation and implementation in both public and private sector environments. He is an avid bryophyte photographer and excited to be part of the BryoSphere’s advisory team.
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