Centrally located in the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, Demeetra AgBio was launched in 2019. Since inception we have built extensive gene editing know-how, complementing our internally developed as well as globally sourced portfolio of intellectual property. Our scientific team is composed of experts with diverse backgrounds in gene editing, ranging from microbes and plants, to mammalian cells. Scientific achievements include being the first to successfully edit plants and yeast with our precise Cas-CLOVER technology.
Demeetra's core focus is developing and optimizing gene editing technologies in commercially applicable systems. We transfer this new knowledge to our partners and provide simple commercial licenses with freedom to operate. We have experience in partnering and out-licensing with top pharmaceutical, biotech, and agtech companies. Our team works closely with collaborators to ensure successful implementation of Demeetra's gene editing technologies for their specific application.
Meet Our Team
Jack Crawford, CEO
Jack Crawford is the founding CEO of Demeetra. As CEO, Jack is focused on providing partners with commercially applicable gene editing technologies through simple accessible licenses. His role also includes developing cannabinoid-based therapeutics. Prior to Demeetra, he was at Hera BioLabs, where he successfully led a complete business pivot to spear-heading the first fully immunodeficient gene edited rat models for oncology xenografts. While serving as VP of Business Development at Transposagen, Jack was instrumental in laying the foundation for commercial applications of the piggyBac transposase, a widely adopted gene editing technology.
Mr. Crawford holds a BS in Biochemistry from Virginia Tech and a Master's in Biotechnology from University of Pennsylvania.
My publications include:
Tripathi et al. (2023) A new and novel high-fidelity genome editing tool for banana using Cas-CLOVER. Plant Biotechnology Journal.
Brizzee et al. (2023) Targeting Mosquitoes through Generation of an Insecticidal RNAi Yeast Strain Using Cas-CLOVER and Super PiggyBac Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Journal of Fungi.
Brizzee et al. (2023) Generation of a Culex Male Mosquito Sex-Separation RNAi Yeast Strain Using Cas-CLOVER and Super PiggyBac Engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fermentation.
Noto et al. (2020) The SRG rat, a Sprague-Dawley Rag2/Il2rg double-knockout validated for human tumor oncology studies. PLoS One.
Noto et al. (2018) Sprague Dawley Rag2-Null Rats Created from Engineered Spermatogonial Stem Cells Are Immunodeficient and Permissive to Human Xenografts. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.
Westlund et al. (2014) A rat knockout model implicates TRPC4 in visceral pain sensation. Neuroscience.
Autumn Samuels, Controller
Autumn Samuels is the Financial Controller for Demeetra. With more than 20 years' experience in accounting services, she applies her skills and knowledge from bookkeeping to developing internal controls, financial statement analysis, budgeting, and forecasting to keep operations running smoothly. As a detail-oriented accounting professional, Autumn provides excellent customer service to Demeetra's clients and collaborators.
Autumn earned her degree in Business Management from American National University (now known as National College of Business and Technology) and holds a Certification in Financial Accounting through the Harvard Business School Online.
Cintia Gomez, PhD, Scientist
Dr. Gomez is an enthusiastic biotechnologist with over twelve years of experience in oncology and regenerative medicine. Cintia has extensive experience working with stem cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells, hematopoietic and neural differentiation, muscle cells, and molecular biology. She also possesses a strong interdisciplinary background in bioengineering, disease modeling, non-viral delivery methods (such as extracellular vesicles and transposon systems), viral delivery systems (AAVs), and pre-clinical studies.
Cintia has developed hands-on experience and dynamic leadership skills, which have proven highly effective in various projects. This combination is an ideal fit for translational and regenerative medicine, the topics she is most passionate about. Dr. Gomez excels as a motivated team player with a strong work ethic, problem-solving mindset, and self-driven approach to innovation. Her ability to bring original ideas to the table has been a key asset in her career.
Currently, at Demeetra, Dr. Gomez focuses on cell line development and engineering, utilizing cutting-edge technologies like Cas-CLOVER and PiggyBac transposase systems for advanced applications in bioproduction and gene therapy.
Selected Publications:
- L. Chicaybam, C. Barcelos, B. Peixoto, M. Carneiro, Cintia Gomez Limia, P. Redondo, C. Lira, F. Braga, Z. De Vasconcelos, L. Barros, M. Bonamino. (2017) An efficient electroporation protocol for the genetic modification of mammalian cells. Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2016.00099
- J. Oliveira, C. Yanick, N. Wein, Cintia Gomez Limia. (2023) Neuron-Schwann cell interactions in peripheral nervous system homeostasis, disease, and preclinical treatment. Front. Cell. Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2023.1248922
- M. de Oliveira, L. Florentino, T. Sales, R. Lima, L. Barros, Cintia G Limia, M. Almeida, M. Robledo, L. Barros, E. Melo, D. Bittencourt, S. Rehen, M. Bonamino, E. Rech. (2024) Protocol for the establishment of a serine integrase-based platform for functional validation of genetic switch controllers in eukaryotic cells. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303999
Koy Saephan Business Development, West Coast and APAC
Koy Saephan is a Business Development Manager at Demeetra, spearheading growth initiatives and strategic partnerships across the West Coast and APAC markets. With over a decade of experience in biotechnology and sales operations, she is committed to helping researchers and industry leaders harness advanced gene editing technologies like Cas-CLOVER and Harbor-IN to drive innovation and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
Before joining Demeetra, Koy honed a multifaceted skill set at ATUM, where she managed key client accounts, led gene synthesis design and project execution, and provided expert technical sales support. She played a pivotal role in optimizing high-throughput, large-scale plasmid purification workflows, improving efficiency and scalability. Additionally, she led the coordination of industry events, enhancing market presence and strengthening client engagement.
With expertise spanning lab operations, technical sales, and business development, Koy seamlessly blends scientific knowledge with a strategic, customer-centric approach. She is passionate about fostering collaborations that push the boundaries of discovery and deliver transformative solutions to the life sciences community.
Corey Brizzee, PhD, Director of Gene Editing
Corey Brizzee oversees the microbial, mammalian, and plant gene editing groups at Demeetra. His responsibilities include further optimizing and developing our gene editing technologies. With his extensive knowledge in protein engineering and expression, Corey also leads the development of the next generation of Demeetra’s gene editing technologies. In addition to lab work, he assists our potential licensees with product applications and technical know-how.
Before coming to Demeetra, Corey received his PhD from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky. His graduate research featured a multi-directional approach in which biochemical analysis of enzymes and cellular biology techniques were utilized to understand metabolism in algae. He received his BA in Biology from the University of Rochester (NY), where he researched the role of transglutaminase2 (TG2) in hypoxia/ischemic stress conditions as well as the molecular mechanisms of tau degradation in Alzheimer disease.
Pankaj Kumar, PhD, Protein Engineering Scientist
Pankaj Kumar is a Subject-Matter Expert of Structural Biology and Protein Engineering and is focused on advancing gene-editing technologies at Demeetra for new IP development and commercial avenues. Additionally, with his more than 18 years of extensive experience in molecular biology, protein science and biophysics. He is responsible for driving innovative methods in protein engineering, purification and assay development to allow for high throughput analysis and screening of gene-editing technologies.
Prior to Demeetra, he was a Senior Scientist-II (Group Leader of Structural Biology & Protein Engineering) at CytomX Therapeutics, where he successfully led a $35 million partnership with Moderna for the development of conditional activatable mRNA-based therapeutics for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases. While serving as SME-Protein Engineering at CytomX, he innovated a novel technology for Peptide Masking of Cytokines. He has also served as Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at a very prestigious pharmaceutical institution, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. He has a stellar track record of patents, publications, grants and significant contributions in the field of education and research.
Pankaj Kumar holds a PhD in Structural Biology (2005-2010) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) New Delhi with Best PhD Thesis Award, and Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2011-2018) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) with Young Investigator’s Helen B Taussig Award.
Selected Publications:
- Pawan Yadav, Manish Gupta, Rushna Wazahat, Zeyaul Islam, Susan E. Tsutakawa, Mohan Kamthan, Pankaj Kumar*. Structural basis for the role of C-terminus acidic tail of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (Rad6) in E3 ligase (Bre1) mediated recognition of histones. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Volume 254, Part 2, 2024, 127717, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127717
- Rushna Wazahat, Pallavi Juneja, Varsha Chauhan, Rana Zaidi, Gyanu Lamichhane, Urvashi B. Singh, Mehvash Haider, Pankaj Kumar*. A strip-based assay for detection of CrfA enzyme activity to differentiate Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Journal of Microbiological Methods, Volume 211, 2023, 106781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2023.106781
- Nazia Ahmad, Sanmati Dugad, Varsha Chauhan, Shubbir Ahmed, Kunal Sharma, Sangita Kachhap, Rana Zaidi, William R Bishai, Gyanu Lamichhane, Pankaj Kumar*. (2022) Allosteric cooperation in β-lactam binding to a non-classical transpeptidase. eLife, 2022 Apr 27;11:e73055. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.73055
Thomas Hart Senior Associate Scientist
Thomas Hart is molecular biologist at Demeetra whose work involves gene editing in microbes, plants, and mammalian cells. As a member of Demeetra’s research team, he develops creative molecular and cellular assays for improving our gene-editing technology. Thomas is also involved in Demeetra’s production side, performing routine quality control on products and creating custom DNA constructs for clients and collaborators.
Before working at Demeetra, Thomas earned his Master of Science degree in biology at the University of Kentucky. While leading a transcriptomics project studying avian neurobiology, he developed a passion for molecular biotechnology.
Christian Cummings Business Development, East Coast and EMEA
Christian Cummings is a Business Development Manager at Demeetra, spearheading growth initiatives in the East Coast and EMEA markets. He has a demonstrated ability to forge strategic partnerships and drive business expansion within the biotechnology industry. With experience at TeselaGen Biotechnology and Revvity, he excels in managing client relationships and guiding projects from inception to completion, consistently contributing to organizational success.
He brings a deep understanding of the life sciences sector and a dedication to cultivating strong collaborative relationships, which will be instrumental in driving the adoption of Demeetra's gene editing technologies for commercial applications.