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David Berry (inventor)

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David Berry
Born (1978-02-10) February 10, 1978 (age 46)
EducationMIT, Harvard Medical School
Occupation(s)Venture capitalist, entrepreneur, Flagship Ventures

David Berry, M.D., PhD., (born February 10, 1978) is an American inventor, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and CEO. Berry has co-founded and helped build over 15 companies in life sciences, technology, and sustainability. He was selected as a 2014 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.[1] In 2007, he was named as the Innovator of the Year by the MIT Technology Review TR35 list of one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35.[2] He speaks globally on topics such as innovation and entrepreneurship.

Early life and education

Berry was born in New York City in 1978. He graduated Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY in 1996. Berry graduated with a S.B. Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000. He was awarded his PhD from the Biological Engineering Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing his thesis in the labs of Robert Langer and Ram Sasisekharan. Berry earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 2006.[3] He was recognized in 2005 with the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for invention and innovation.[4]

Career

Seres Therapeutics

In 2012, Berry founded Seres Therapeutics, a company that develops a new class of therapeutics based on insights into the biology of the human microbiome.[5] Seres Health has developed a new approach to functionally assess the changes of the microbiome associated with disease, and identifies a consortia of organisms that can catalyze a shift to health.[6] Seres lead, SER-109 was advanced into the clinic for recurrent C. difficile [7] where it clinically cured 29 out of 30 patients.[8] Ser-109 is current in a Phase 2 trial for recurrent C. difficile, and the company is also developing therapeutics for ulcerative colitis, metabolic diseases, and other infectious disease.[9] The company raised over $130M as a private company, including a $65M investment from Nestle Health Sciences.[10] Seres publicly listed on the Nasdaq under the symbol MCRB in June 2015, raising $134M.[11] The company's stock had the second best first day performance of any stock after its IPO since 2000, reaching a valuation of $2B.[12]

Evelo Therapeutics

In 2014, Berry founded Evelo Therapeutics,[13] which is pioneering Oncobiotic™ therapeutics, a new modality in cancer therapy based on the cancer microbiome. The company's Oncobiotic platform is pioneering new treatments for cancer that combine a unique capability of simultaneously incorporating therapeutic benefit through immuno-oncology, cancer metabolism and the microbiome. Evelo is developing a next-generation approach to immuno-oncology that goes beyond check-point inhibitors and CAR-T cell therapies.[14]

Joule Unlimited

In 2007, Berry founded Joule Unlimited, which is developing Solar Fuels—drop-in fuels produced directly from the sun. Joule is pioneering solar fuels through a new technology that coverts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and salt water into drop-in fuels for prices as low as $20.[15] The company recruited former Total CEO and Alcatel CEO Serge Tchuruk as its CEO.[16] In March 2010 [17] and again in March 2011, Joule was named by Technology Review as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies. Joule was named as one of the 10 most important emerging technologies in 2011.[18] Joule's unique and innovative approach to fuels led to its being named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2012[19] and to its receiving the Silver Medal in the 2011 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards.[20] Joule's technology has now been successfully scaled to a demonstration facility,[21] and the company has announced a commercial partnership with Audi.[22] Berry has been recognized multiple times as one of the top people in bioenergy by Biofuels Digest.[23]

Pronutria Biosciences

In 2009, Berry founded Pronutria Biosciences, which is pioneering a new approach to unlock the vast untapped therapeutic potential of proteins in the human diet.[24] Amino acid biology is fundamental to life, regulating biological pathways critical to health. A variety of conditions occur when amino acid pathways become dysregulated. Pronutria Biosciences is developing first-in-class solutions to these conditions with a focus on amino acid biology. Using insights from a clinically validated body of evidence, they are pioneering new nutritional and therapeutic modalities: amino acid biologics. This novel approach allows them to precisely target biology that was previously inaccessible, providing a unique opportunity to address a variety of serious diseases and medical conditions, such as muscle wasting disorders, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases and critical care conditions, using nutritional and therapeutic approaches.[24] The company has recruited former Domantis CEO Bob Connelly as its CEO,[25] Vertex CSO Peter Mueller as its President of R&D,[26] Vertex Senior Vice President and Head of Global Medicine Development and Affairs Chris Wright as its CMO,[27] and former Managing Director and founder of the biotechnology franchise at Goldman Sachs Garry Menzel as Chief Business and Strategy Officer.[28] Former CEO of Sanofi, Chris Viehbacher, as joined the company's Board of Directors.[29] The company has raised over $80M and was named by Forbes as the hottest healthcare startup in 2015.[30]

Symbiota

In 2014, Berry founded Symbiota which is pioneering microbial solutions that naturally promote plant health and improve agricultural production by harnessing the beneficial microbes that reside within plants.[31]

LS9

In 2005, Berry founded LS9, with Chris Somerville, Jay Keasling, and George M. Church, which uses synthetic biology to engineer microorganisms to covert sustainable, plant-based materials into low-carbon fuels and chemicals. LS9 has successfully built on technologies he invented with other co-founders to produce a scalable platform for renewable fuels and chemicals.[32] This technology was successfully scaled to a fully operational 135,000L facility in Okeechobee, Florida.[33] The impact and importance of LS9's technology led to its being named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2008[34] and its being awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest environmental honor.[35] LS9 was acquired by Renewable Energy Group in 2014.[36]

Flagship Ventures

Berry joined Flagship Ventures, a Cambridge, Massachusetts based venture capital firm that invests in and founds companies in healthcare and sustainability, in 2005 where he is a general partner. Berry has been described "a rising star of the Boston-area venture capital scene," [37] and "one of the most brilliant thinkers." [38] Berry has founded over 15 companies including Seres Therapeutics (NADAQ: MCRB), Joule Unlimited, Pronutria Biosciences, Eleven Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: EBIO), Symbiota, and LS9 (acquired by Renewable Energy Group).[39] Berry was involved in the launching of T2 (NASDAQ: TTOO) and Seventh Sense. Berry has been an author of 14 scientific papers and over 150 patent applications.

Honors and Awards

Other Affiliations

Berry is a member of the Leadership Council of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.[43] Berry is a trustee at the Hackley School,[44] and a board member of the Juventas New Music Ensemble.[45]

Berry previously served as a member of the corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2006-2011.[46] He was previously a board member of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Meet the 2014 class of Young Global Leaders". Agenda - The World Economic Forum.
  2. ^ a b “LS9 Co-Founder Named Innovator of the Year in Technology Review's Prestigious TR35 List of Top Young Innovators,” LS9 press release, August 15, 2007
  3. ^ "David Berry: A "Fearless" Innovator with a Passion for MIT - MIT Admissions". mitadmissions.org.
  4. ^ a b "Lemelson-MIT Program". mit.edu.
  5. ^ "All Companies". flagshipventures.com.
  6. ^ "New Microbiome Startup Seres Health Is Developing Bacteria-Filled Pills to Treat Diseases - MIT Technology Review". MIT Technology Review.
  7. ^ "Seres Health Announces Interim Clinical Data" January 13, 2014
  8. ^ Seres Health (8 September 2014). "Seres Health Presents Final Data for Study of SER-109 in Recurrent Clostridium... -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --". prnewswire.com.
  9. ^ "Product Pipeline". serestherapeutics.com.
  10. ^ "Nestlé Health Science to Invest $65 Million in a Biotech Start-Up" January 6, 2015
  11. ^ "Seres guts out a $134M IPO to fuel microbiome R&D". FierceBiotech.
  12. ^ BRIAN DEAGON. "Seres Therapeutics IPO Soars, Raises $133 Million". Investor's Business Daily.
  13. ^ "Evelo Therapeutics November 3, 2015
  14. ^ "Flagship Ventures Launches Evelo Therapeutics To Develop Microbiome Therapies for Cancer" November 4, 2015
  15. ^ "Joule picks New Mexico site for solar fuel project; now competitive with $20/barrel diesel?". biofuelsdigest.com.
  16. ^ "Joule Names Industry Veteran Serge Tchuruk as President and CEO" November, 14, 2014
  17. ^ "MIT Technology Review's 50 Smartest Companies 2015, from Tesla to Uber - MIT Technology Review". MIT Technology Review.
  18. ^ "10 Breakthrough Technologies 2015 - MIT Technology Review". MIT Technology Review.
  19. ^ "Technology Pioneers 2012". Africa Competitiveness 2013. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |title= at position 12 (help)
  20. ^ Michael Totty (17 October 2011). "Joule Unlimited Forges a Faster Path to Biofuels - WSJ". WSJ.
  21. ^ "News Articles from Forbes, CNN, Biofuels Digest & more - Joule Unlimited". jouleunlimited.com.
  22. ^ "News Articles from Forbes, CNN, Biofuels Digest & more - Joule Unlimited". jouleunlimited.com.
  23. ^ "The Top 100 People in Bioenergy". biofuelsdigest.com.
  24. ^ a b "Pronutria Biosciences". pronutriabio.com.
  25. ^ "Pronutria adds $12M, launches trials for nutrients to treat disease". Boston Business Journal. 13 February 2014.
  26. ^ Pronutria (4 December 2014). "Pronutria Appoints Dr. Peter Mueller as President of R&D and Chief Scientific... -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --". prnewswire.com.
  27. ^ Pronutria Biosciences (24 March 2015). "Pronutria Biosciences™ Appoints Dr. Christopher Wright as Senior Vice President and Chief... -- CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --". prnewswire.com.
  28. ^ "Pronutria Biosciences Appoints Garry E. Menzel, Ph.D., as Chief Business and Strategy Officer". pronutriabio.com.
  29. ^ "Pronutria Adds Ex-Sanofi CEO Viehbacher to Board". Xconomy.
  30. ^ "Pronutria Biosciences named by Forbes as the Hottest Healthcare Startup in 2015"
  31. ^ "Flagship VentureLabs™ Introduces Symbiota, Pioneer of Agricultural Innovation Through the Plant Microbiome" November 13, 2014
  32. ^ [1]
  33. ^ [2]
  34. ^ "World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers 2008
  35. ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Chemistry 2010 Award Recipients
  36. ^ "Renewable Energy Group Enters Industrial Biotech with Acquisition of LS9". regi.com.
  37. ^ "David Berry of Flagship Ventures on Funding Advice, Investment Themes, Trends in Biofuels". Xconomy.
  38. ^ "Brain Storm: David Berry is Going to Solve the Energy Crisis…With Pond Scum" April 20, 2011
  39. ^ Flagship Ventures website - Team
  40. ^ [3]
  41. ^ "BBJ names 2012's 40 under 40 honorees". Boston Business Journal. 4 September 2012.
  42. ^ Innovators Help Reshape Reality, January 2, 2008
  43. ^ "Sustainable Development Solutions Network - Leadership Council". unsdsn.org.
  44. ^ "Trustees & Administration". hackleyschool.org.
  45. ^ "About - Juventas New Music Ensemble". juventasmusic.com.
  46. ^ "Members of the MIT Corporation". mit.edu.
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