SynBioBeta 2026 Speaker

Aina Cohen

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Senior Staff Scientist

My research aims to transform how we understand and engineer biological systems by advancing macromolecular Xโ€‘ray crystallography at synchrotron and Xโ€‘ray freeโ€‘electron laser (XFEL) sources. Through the development of nextโ€‘generation experimental techniques, specialized instrumentation, and powerful computational algorithms, my work seeks to reveal how protein structure gives rise to biological function and dynamics. I focus on building highly automated, highโ€‘throughput platforms for biomolecular structure determination and compound screening, accelerating the translation of structural insights into biomedical advances and molecular design. In parallel, I develop new automation that extends crystallography and cryoโ€‘electron microscopy (cryoEM) to capture protein dynamics, with the longโ€‘term goal of making dynamic, functional structural biology a routine tool for discovery and innovation.

Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
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Blue watercolor splatter
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Reagan

Jarvis

Anocca AB

CEO, Co-founder

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Alex

Rives

CZI Biohub

Head of Science

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Karenโ€ฏ

Akinsanya

Schrodinger

President, R&D โ€“ Therapeutics

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Christopher

Arendt

Takeda

CSO, Head of Research

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Stef

van Grieken

Cradle

CEO

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Michael

Koeris

DARPA

Director, BTO

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Jennifer

Dionne

Pumpkinseed

CEO

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Daniyal

Hussain

GSK

Exec. Dir., Tech BD

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Cynthia

Hong

Novartis

Dir., Search & Evaluation

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Sarah Lynn

Tao

CSL Behring

Sr. Dir., S&E; Ig TA & Tech Lead

Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure
Blue watercolor illustration of a folded protein structure

SynBioBeta 2027 May 3-6, San Jose, California