
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 Xโray crystallography at synchrotron and Xโray freeโelectron laser (XFEL) sources. Through the development of nextโgeneration 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, highโthroughput 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 cryoโelectron microscopy (cryoEM) to capture protein dynamics, with the longโterm goal of making dynamic, functional structural biology a routine tool for discovery and innovation.



Reagan
Jarvis
Anocca AB
CEO, Co-founder

Alex
Rives
CZI Biohub
Head of Science

Karenโฏ
Akinsanya
Schrodinger
President, R&D โ Therapeutics

Christopher
Arendt
Takeda
CSO, Head of Research

Stef
van Grieken
Cradle
CEO

Michael
Koeris
DARPA
Director, BTO

Jennifer
Dionne
Pumpkinseed
CEO

Daniyal
Hussain
GSK
Exec. Dir., Tech BD

Cynthia
Hong
Novartis
Dir., Search & Evaluation
SynBioBeta 2027 May 3-6, San Jose, California


