ABOUT US
FOOD AS MEDICINE™
The Solarea breakthrough came from the combined efforts of the company’s co-founders who established a link between the discovery of an untapped source of microorganisms with probiotic potential in healthy foods, and their applications in inflammatory processes including the gut-musculoskeletal axis.
The first application aims to address the metabolic processes of osteopenia and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women where diet alone is not sufficient to maintain a healthy skeleton and natural alternatives are desired over conventional pharmaceuticals
What
Solarea Bio
means?
- Solarea Bio means effective products based on strong scientific and clinical evidence.
- Solarea Bio means understanding the interactions between our body and the microbes in our foods and how they can be harnessed for health.
- Solarea Bio means using Food as Medicine™.
Our Team
Gerardo V Toledo, Ph.D.
A microbial ecologist turned entrepreneur, for the last 20 years has been leading high output teams during the early stages of Diversa Corp. (now BASF), Synthetic Genomics, Indigo Ag, and founder of Solarea Bio. He has been at the front of the company from a brainstorm with friends to a successful preclinical stage and now entering into a clinical validation of the effect specific combinations of microbes and plant fibers can have on health management. He likes the outdoors enjoying mountain biking and have completed 3 ironman races.
Eric Schott, Ph.D.
As a graduate student at the University of Rochester Medical School, Eric Pioneered studies aimed at defining the role of the gut microbiome in the induction of osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions influenced by obesity and type 2 diabetes as comorbid factors. This work set the stage for Solarea’s initial focus on musculoskeletal health, where Eric now leads the preclinical and translational development of Solarea products. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with his family and friends.
David Easson Jr., Sc.D.
David Easson is currently Chief Manufacturing Officer at Solarea Bio. He has over 25 years experience in the biotech industry in both private and public sectors. Prior to joining Solarea, David built and led process development and manufacturing functions at Indigo Ag, AOBiome, Epic Therapeutics / Baxter Healthcare, Collaborative BioAlliance and Alpha-Beta Technology. He is currently a board member of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, a biotech incubator and previously served on the boards of the UMass Memorial Medical Center Foundation, the Worcester Business Development Corporation and the Bay State Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). He also served as a research grant review committee member for JDRF International. David has a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina and a Sc.D. in biochemical engineering from MIT.
Ilissa Larimore
Ilissa Larimore serves as the Chief Commercial Officer at Solarea Bio, leveraging over two decades of expertise in consumer health, personalized wellness, and practitioner engagement. With a strong background in launching successful health products and driving significant market growth, Ilissa is poised to spearhead the launch of Solarea Bio’s commercial brand, Journa, featuring a suite of innovative medical food products. Her profound understanding of healthcare ecosystems and deep personal interest in cutting-edge nutritional solutions align perfectly with Solarea Bio’s mission to innovate and deliver impactful health solutions.
Mark Charbonneau, Ph.D
Mark is a biotechnology R&D leader with expertise in live biotherapeutic drug development, mechanistic modeling, computational biology, and biomarker assay development. He is a first-generation college graduate who received a B.S. in microbiology at Michigan State University, before obtaining a PhD in computational and systems biology at Washington University in St. Louis in the lab of Jeffrey Gordon. Mark has held various roles of increasing responsibility in biotechnology organizations. He integrates technical acumen and emotional intelligence to build high-functioning teams and foster innovation. Mark and his team are harnessing the untapped microbial diversity of fresh fruits and vegetables to create novel solutions to manage inflammatory diseases and enable people to lead long, healthy lives.
Thomas Ishoey, Ph.D.
Thomas is a passionate and innovative technologist with expertise in early stage technology development and commercialization. Thomas has held C-level management positions with demonstrated turn-around and team building capability across multiple disciplines. He brings deep experience in evaluating technology concepts and implementation plans, fundraising, and has experience in biology, genomics and engineering including industrial and subsurface applied microbiology and biotechnology.
Greg Sieczkiewicz, Ph.D., J.D.
Greg is a trusted intellectual property strategy advisor for entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, emerging start-ups, and public biotech/pharmaceutical companies. Over the past 20 years, he has contributed to the creation, execution, assertion and defense of strategic legal plans for a diverse array of biotechnology companies. In addition, he has been the front line agreement negotiator and drafter for licensing, development and commercialization agreements relating to biologics and small molecules from pre-IND to approved drugs. Greg was awarded a PhD in cell, molecular and developmental biology from the Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, a law degree from Suffolk University Law School, and an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross. Greg has been affiliated with top law firms including Mintz Levin, Proskauer Rose, and Foley Hoag. Greg is currently the Chief IP Counsel at MPM Capital, and was previously Vice President of IP at Flagship Pioneering.
Juliana Soto, Ph.D.
A Colombian scientist with broad experience in bioinformatics, molecular biology, data integration, and microbial ecology. Passionate about developing and applying breakthrough technologies for improving human health. At Solarea Bio, Juliana leads the Bioinformatics core and develops the strategy for projects related to microbiome biomarker discovery and genome mining. Juliana is also a STEM mentor committed to advocating and inspiring girls from underrepresented communities to reach their potential in STEM fields. Juliana holds a Ph.D in Bioinformatics from Georgia Tech and a M.S in Molecular Biology from University of Puerto Rico. She loves dancing salsa, hiking, and cycling.
Alicia Ballok, Ph.D.
Driven by her desire to leverage microbes for the benefit of humanity, Alicia is an innovator with a passion for host-microbe interactions. Prior to joining Solarea, she worked in the area of microbial drug development, with a focus on autoimmune disorders and oncology. As the leader of Solarea’s Discovery team, Alicia oversees the development of new therapies for inflammatory diseases by accessing the untapped potential of plant associated microbes.
Alicia received her B.S. in molecular biology and M.S. in genetics from the University of New Hampshire. She completed a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology at Dartmouth College and pursued postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Susan Corbett, M.S.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, working as a software engineer for over ten years, and spending some time as a stay-at-home mom, Susan returned to college to earn a Master’s degree in Biology and Biotechnology. She has developed patient monitoring systems at HP/Agilent, real-time signal capture and visualization software for pathogen detection systems at PathoGenetix, and cloud-based AWS bioinformatics pipelines at Indigo Agriculture and New England Biolabs. She particularly enjoys developing software for life science applications and is currently developing high-throughput AWS infrastructure and bioinformatics pipelines for Solarea Bio. Her favorite activities are cycling, kayaking, hiking, playing clarinet and saxophone, and spending time with family and friends.
Ryan Green, Ph.D.
Ryan has always had a passion for improving community health, whether as a clinic volunteer or a firefighter. He continued this passion at Virginia Commonwealth University where he was awarded his Ph.D. in Microbiology. With a focus on human-microbe interactions, he studied how bacteria invade and manipulate immune cells. Now he leverages his experience to support immunological analysis within the Discovery Team at Solarea. In his free time Ryan enjoys the outdoors and traveling.
Antonio Tempesta
A Boston native and UMass graduate, Antonio Tempesta brings a decade of experience in process development and bioreactor operation to Solarea Bio. A biologist with a background in experimental design, chemical engineering, and organic chemistry, Antonio is passionate about industrial biology’s ability to meet the world’s challenges in the 21stcentury. Prior to joining Solarea, Antonio worked on a team developing fermentation and purification processes to produce surfactants from agricultural byproducts as a sustainable alternative to ingredients derived from palm oil.
Daniela Diaz-Infante
Daniela is a biotech engineer originally from Mexico. After working in industry for a few years, she moved to the Netherlands to continue her scientific development and pursue her Masters’ degree in medical biotechnology at the Wageningen University.Daniela is an experienced molecular biologist and had applied her skills to studies of human intestinal health, IBD, clinical studies for cosmetic products. Besides her love of science, she enjoys traveling and learning from different cultures around the world. At Solarea, she works at the immunology team developing assays for testing novel microbial agents.
Luis Arturo Montes de Oca Valeriano
Arturo obtained his bachelor’s degree in biotechnology engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM Queretaro) in 2018. After graduating, Arturo moved to the Netherlands to start his master’s program in Food Technology with a specialization in Food Biotechnology & Biorefining. He then moved to Ecuador to begin his professional career working in a microbiology laboratory, a brewery, and within the food industry. He is passionate about science, especially when it comes to improving quality of life through modulation of the microbiota and through the use of beneficial microorganisms in food products. Outside of work, he enjoys listening to music, playing the piano, the ukulele and spending time with his family and friends.
Kelsey Miller
Kelsey grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Boston in 2016 to start her career in microbiome drug discovery, with a focus on liver and inflammatory disorders. She earned her B.S. in biology from Ursinus College and her M.S. in molecular biology and genetics from the University of Delaware. Now she leverages her experiences in microbiology and molecular biology to support the Discovery Team at Solarea. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys hiking, binge watching TV shows, trying new foods, and hanging out with her family and friends.
Ian Wolff
Originally from New Jersey, Ian earned a B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience and an M.S. in Bioinformatics at Northeastern University. His interests in bioinformatics and the relationship between the gut microbiome and human health led him to join Solarea. At Solarea, he supports product development through analyzing genomes and developing and executing cloud-based bioinformatics pipelines. Outside of work, Ian enjoys playing videogames, reading, and traveling.
Scientific Advisory Board
Susan Bukata, MD
Michael Zuscik, PhD
Douglas P. Kiel, MD, MPH
Clifford Rosen, MD
Gina N. Woods, MD
Board of Directors
Anula Jayasuriya, MD, PhD, MBA
Matthew Walker, J.D., MBA
Neal Bhadkamkar, Ph.D., MBA
Gerardo V Toledo, Ph.D.
Greg Sieczkiewicz, Ph.D., J.D.
Susan Bukata, MD
Dr. Bukata is the Vice Chair for Clinical Operations and a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UCLA. She is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in oncology with a significant research interest in bone fragility and bone healing. For more than 10 years, Dr. Bukata has dedicated a portion of her practice to managing osteoporosis and metabolic bone patients. Prior to joining the UCLA Orthopaedic Center faculty, Dr. Bukata spent eight years on faculty at the University of Rochester, where she helped develop and implement the Geriatric Fracture treatment algorithm now followed around the world. She lectures world-wide on the role of orthopaedic surgeons in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis after fragility fracture, and in 2016 was elected to serve as a member of the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Michael Zuscik, PhD
Dr. Zuscik is the Mack Clayton Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Orthopedics and Director of the Colorado Program for Skeletal Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Zuscik is a leading expert studying mechanisms of osteoarthritis (OA), and was the first to demonstrate that manipulations of the gut microbiome could be a novel therapeutic strategy in protecting against cartilage degeneration in OA in the context of obesity. His other research interests have included the study of second messenger signaling pathways in bone and cartilage homeostasis as well as in the context of injury and disease. Most recently, he has pioneered studies on the role of the gut microbiome in these contexts. Currently, Dr. Zuscik sits on the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs’ Joint Programmatic Review and Vision Setting Panel and is a standing member of the Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration grant review panel at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and the NIH.
Douglas P. Kiel, MD, MPH
Dr. Kiel currently serves as Director for the Musculoskeletal Research Center at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife and a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. He leads the Framingham Osteoporosis Study, is the former President of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, and serves in leadership roles for many other organizations including the NIH, National Osteoporosis Foundation, and the Joint Commission. Dr. Kiel’s research focuses on the epidemiology of osteoporosis and related fractures, including lifestyle factors, biomarkers, and genetic factors. He also heads the Geriomics program at the Marcus Institute that includes faculty and post-doctoral fellows appointed through Harvard Medical School who study the “omics” of age-related disease and the aging process itself as a part of the musculoskeletal Research Center. Dr. Kiel has conducted numerous clinical trials targeting the musculoskeletal system in academic and industry settings, and has published over 400 peer reviewed journal articles. In 2019 he received the Frederic C. Bartter Award given to an ASBMR member in recognition of outstanding clinical investigation in disorders of bone and mineral metabolism.
Clifford Rosen, MD
Dr. Rosen is the Director of Clinical and Translational Research at Maine Medical Center’s Research Institute, is a Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and serves as an Associate Editor for the New England Journal of Medicine. He is the founder and former Director of the Maine Center for Osteoporosis Research and Education and has published over 500 peer-reviewed manuscripts, covering both clinical and basic bone biology. Dr. Rosen has overseen numerous phase II and III clinical trials, funded both privately and through the NIH. He is a member of the FDA Advisory Panel on Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs and a former chairperson of that committee. He also served on two Institute of Medicine Committees, and was Chair of the NIH Review Panel for Skeletal Biology and Bone Diseases for 2002-2004. He was the former Chair of the Clinical Trials Review Panel for NIAMS, 2009-2015. He was a previous member of the NIAMS Advisory Council and current member of the NIA Advisory Council; he served as president of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research in 2002-2003. Dr. Rosen’s research interests include the genetic regulation of IGF-I, skeletal metabolism and stem cell fate, PTH as an anabolic therapy, and the relationship between marrow adipogenesis and osteoblastogenesis.
Gina N. Woods, MD
Dr. Woods is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Co-Chief of the Division of Endocrinology at UC San Diego. As the Director of the Bone Health Clinic, she leads a busy clinical practice centered on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, employing individualized approaches that may involve dietary modifications, exercise interventions, and medications. She is deeply involved in medical education, holding the position of Associate Program Director for the UCSD Endocrinology Fellowship and serving as an instructor and medical director for the UCSD School of Bone Densitometry. A member of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Dr. Woods’s research interests include novel MRI techniques for bone health assessment and the significance of bone marrow adiposity in osteoporosis.
Anula Jayasuriya, MD, PhD, MBA
Founder & Managing Director, EXXclaim Capital; Co-founder EILSF, Los Altos Hills, California, USA
Anula Jayasuriya is a successful private equity executive and venture capitalist whose background combines deep business, scientific and medical knowledge with broad clinical, industry, entrepreneurial, and investment experience.
In 2013, Anula founded EXXclaim Capital, an early stage venture fund focused on catalyzing innovation, entrepreneurship and investment in Women’s Health. EXXclaim’s first investment, nVision Medical, was acquired in 2018 by Boston Scientific Inc. for $275 Million, validating the significant business opportunity in women’s health.
In 2006 Anula co-founded the “Evolvence India Life Science Fund” (www.invascent.com), the very first fund in India to focus exclusively on health care and invest in Indian pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and contract services companies. The fund garnered attractive returns to investors.
Anula was previously a partner with Skyline Ventures in Palo Alto, and prior to that with the German/US venture capital firm TVM, in San Francisco. Her prior positions include VP Business Development at Genomics Collaborative Inc., and Vice President, Global Drug Development at Hoffman-La Roche for opportunistic infections in AIDS and Transplantation.
Anula serves on the boards of several biotechnology companies, and also serves non-profit boards.
Anula received a BA from Harvard summa cum laude, and an MD and PhD (in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics) from Harvard Medical School. She interned in Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital and received an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School. Anula also holds a M. Phil. in pharmacology from the University of Cambridge, in England.
Matthew Walker, J.D., MBA
Matthew Walker is a Managing Director at S2G Ventures, a leading multi-stage venture fund investing in food and agriculture companies that are working to build a healthier and more sustainable food system. He has over 10 years of experience in venture capital, investment banking and securities law. As Managing Director, Matthew’s efforts are focused on making investments, managing portfolio companies, and serving on various portfolio company boards. Before joining S2G Ventures, Matt was an investment banking Associate at Perella Weinberg Partners in New York focused on M&A and restructuring transactions across a range of industries. Prior to that role, he was a securities attorney in the Funds, Regulation, and Equity Derivatives practice at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP in New York. Matthew has an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a J.D. from New York University School of Law, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Matthew is a member of the Illinois Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy.
Neal Bhadkamkar, Ph.D., MBA
Neal brings more than 30 years of investment and start-up experience as General Partner of Bold Capital Partners (“BOLD”). BOLD is a California headquartered venture firm that backs entrepreneurs seeking to make positive change in the world by leveraging science and exponential technologies. Previously, Neal was General Partner of Monitor Ventures (an early stage venture fund) and head of commercialization for Interval Research, Paul Allen’s Silicon Valley incubator. Early in his career he worked at the Boston Consulting Group. Neal’s original academic training was in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi, followed by an MBA from Harvard Business School and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Gerardo V Toledo, Ph.D.
A microbial ecologist turned entrepreneur, for the last 20 years has been leading high output teams during the early stages of Diversa Corp. (now BASF), Synthetic Genomics, Indigo Ag, and founder of Solarea Bio. He has been at the front of the company from a brainstorm with friends to a successful preclinical stage and now entering into a clinical validation of the effect specific combinations of microbes and plant fibers can have on health management. He likes the outdoors enjoying mountain biking and have completed 3 ironman races.
Greg Sieczkiewicz, Ph.D., J.D.
Greg is a trusted intellectual property strategy advisor for entrepreneurs, venture capital firms, emerging start-ups, and public biotech/pharmaceutical companies. Over the past 20 years, he has contributed to the creation, execution, assertion and defense of strategic legal plans for a diverse array of biotechnology companies. In addition, he has been the front line agreement negotiator and drafter for licensing, development and commercialization agreements relating to biologics and small molecules from pre-IND to approved drugs. Greg was awarded a PhD in cell, molecular and developmental biology from the Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, a law degree from Suffolk University Law School, and an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross. Greg has been affiliated with top law firms including Mintz Levin, Proskauer Rose, and Foley Hoag. Greg is currently the Chief IP Counsel at MPM Capital, and was previously Vice President of IP at Flagship Pioneering.
Our Values
Integrity
Trust and
transparency
Scientific rigor
Diversity
and inclusion
Tenacity
Innovation
Sense
of Purpose