WATERTOWN, Mass., April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Addgene, an organization empowering discovery by providing scientists with a vast catalog of expertly curated and quality-controlled plasmids, viral vectors, and recombinant antibodies, today announced the expansion of its management team and Board of Directors with numerous industry leaders. These key appointments support Addgene’s growth strategy and illustrate its responsiveness to the evolving needs of the life sciences community.
“Addgene is thrilled to have the expertise of this group of leaders in life sciences and technology as part of our management team and Board of Directors – a testament to the value of our vision for a globally connected scientific community,” said Chonnettia Jones, PhD, President and Executive Director at Addgene. “They will be invaluable as we continue to expand our trusted approach, offering tools that ease research for a wider audience, from plasmids for scientists engaging in curiosity-driven discovery to customizable reagents for industry innovators.”
Management Appointments
- Dr. Eleanor Kolossovski, Vice President of Global Business Strategy: Kolossovski will oversee the business development, marketing, sales, communications, and customer service functions at Addgene, while driving revenue growth and market expansion for the organization. Prior to joining Addgene, she held commercial leadership roles at Synthego and LGC Clinical Diagnostics. She holds a PhD from the Australian National University and an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management.
- Larry Mihalchik, Vice President of Finance: Mihalchik will oversee strategic financial planning, operational management, and infrastructure enhancement. Prior to Addgene, he served as VP of Finance at Ready Robotics. Mihalchik has managed the closing of capital transactions including equity fund raisings, debt placements, and Initial Public Offerings for Timberland, Chomerics, and Atex Media Solutions. He holds a BA in Finance and Accounting from Westminster College.
- Alex Liu, Senior Product Director of Plasmids and Viral Vectors: Liu will oversee the advancement of the organization’s plasmids and viral vectors services. With deep expertise in gene and cell therapy, contract manufacturing, and plasmid DNA production, Liu previously led strategic initiatives that accelerated growth and strengthened market positioning at Aldevron and SCIEX. He holds an MBA in Marketing from UMass Amherst and an MS from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Board Appointments
- Dr. Luk H. Vandenberghe, Chair: Vandenberghe is the Grousbeck Family Professor in Gene Therapy at Mass General Brigham and Harvard. His research is focused on basic, translational, and clinical aspects of gene therapy. He co-founded GenSight Biologics, Akouos (now part of Eli Lilly), Albamunity/ciendias bio, Affinia Therapeutics, and Lyora Therapeutics. He and colleagues started the non-profit Odylia Therapeutics to further the plight of non-commercially viable gene therapies. Vandenberghe holds both his MS in Cellular and Genetic Biology and his PhD in Molecular Medicine from KU Leuven.
- Jen Beachell, Director: Beachell is an Independent Biotech Strategy Consultant with more than 20 years of experience leading operations, corporate, and commercial strategy in the life sciences. She served as Chief Operating Officer at Upstream Bio where she led program management, the HR function, public relations, and commercial strategy. Prior to Upstream, Beachell led the commercial development and market expansion efforts at numerous life science companies. She holds a BA in Government from Smith College and an MBA from the Wharton School.
- Kathryn Brown, Director: Brown is Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She has a track record of successfully leading transformative communications strategies for mission-driven organizations. She previously served as Chief of Communications at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and was Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Conservation Fund. Brown holds a BA in Journalism and Psychology from University of Missouri-Columbia.
- Bethany Cavanagh, Director: Cavanagh is Senior Vice President of Finance at Beam Therapeutics. Her expertise spans commercial launches, clinical and preclinical portfolios, strategic partnerships, and financial systems implementation. She has built and scaled finance teams, implemented systems, and developed processes for high-growth organizations including CRISPR Therapeutics. Cavanagh holds a BA in English and Elementary Education from Roger Williams University and an MBA in Finance from Babson College.
“At a time when the support for scientific research has never been more important, I’m thrilled to serve as Board Chair of Addgene, which has been empowering scientists to advance discoveries and biological breakthroughs for more than two decades,” said Luk H. Vandenberghe, PhD, Board Chair of Addgene. “I look forward to my continued collaboration with Addgene’s visionary team as we explore new ways to improve access to high-quality research materials across the globe.”
About Addgene
Addgene is a purpose-driven organization committed to accelerating discovery and innovation by helping scientists conduct experiments with greater ease, speed and reproducibility. We are pioneers in scientific sharing, providing a vast catalog of expertly curated and quality-controlled plasmids developed by researchers around the world. We offer viral vector and recombinant antibody services built from the same trusted approach. Our dedicated team reduces barriers to scientific progress by facilitating material transfers and providing world-class educational resources. At Addgene, we care about building a globally connected scientific community, collaborating and sharing seamlessly to unlock the full potential of research. For more information, visit https://www.addgene.org.
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