Stephen is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Persephone Biosciences, a company developing novel therapeutics and consumer products based on the gut microbiome.

After receiving his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, he spent most of his career in industrial biotechnology; notably 13 years at Genomatica leading the engineering of microbes to produce industrial chemicals, a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based production. He co-founded Persephone in 2017 along with CEO Stephanie Culler, to apply the same rigorous science to understanding metabolism in the gut and its implications toward human health.

Persephone’s interests include colorectal cancer interception, the relationship between the microbiome and nutrition, and the infant microbiome. The Company recently developed an infant probiotic, planned to launch commercially in September. They are also completing a collaborative study with Kroger Health to understand the impact of diet change on microbiome composition.