Stephen Picataggio

Stephen Picataggio has worked in the biotechnology industry since 1985. Stephen began their career at Henkel/Cognis as a Section Leader, where they developed a metabolic engineering program and led a team of scientists and engineers on metabolic pathway engineering of Candida tropicalis. Stephen then moved to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in 1993 as a Senior Molecular Biologist, where they led a team of scientists and engineers on metabolic pathway engineering of Zymomonas mobilis and development of a fermentation process for conversion of the hexose and pentose sugars in cellulosic biomass to ethanol. In 1996, Stephen joined DuPont CR&D as a Senior Research Associate, initiating a program and guiding a team of scientists and engineers on metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica and fermentation process development for commercial production of omega-3 fatty acids. In 2007, Stephen became Vice President Research at Synthetic Genomics, where they identified new product opportunities and technology concepts and developed strategic plans to meet company objectives. Stephen then moved to Verdezyne, Inc. in 2008 as Chief Scientific Officer, working with the CEO and BOD to redefine the strategic direction of the company. In 2013, Stephen joined DuPont Industrial Biosciences as a Technical Fellow and Member of Portfolio Management Team, leading a Biologicals Venture Innovation Pipeline and a multidisciplinary team that demonstrated and evaluated opportunities for conversion of C1 feedstocks (syngas, methane, methanol) to chemicals. Stephen then served as Director, Biocatalyst Development at NatureWorks LLC from 2016 to 2022, and is currently working as a Biotechnology Consultant and Chief Scientific Officer at C16 Biosciences.

Stephen Picataggio obtained their PhD in Microbiology from Rutgers University between 1979 and 1983. Prior to that, they obtained their BS in Bacteriology & Public Health from Wagner College between 1971 and 1975.