SynBioBeta Speaker
Lauren Avenius
Node Labs
CEO
Lauren Avenius is CEO of Node Labs and Founder of Sanoria, a biotechnology and health-tech platform advancing AI-driven plant medicine discovery from wellness to pharmaceutical development. She is a strategic operator and investor-focused executive known for building IP-centric biotech businesses, scaling global partnerships, and translating scientific innovation into commercial outcomes. At Node Labs, Avenius transformed a small San Francisco genetics operation into a leading global biotechnology and IP platform spanning genetic discovery, tissue culture, licensing, and data-driven breeding. Under her leadership, the company pioneered a novel genetic licensing model, scaled to tens of tons of licensed genetics globally, and positioned its flagship brand as a premium presence in international medical markets including Germany, Israel, and Canada. She also spearheaded the development of AI-enabled breeding and discovery tools built on large proprietary datasets spanning agronomics, molecular profiles, and consumer outcomes, laying the foundation for therapeutic and wellness applications. Avenius is now applying this integrated discovery-to-commercialization model through Sanoria, a women’s health biotech platform focused on hormonal conditions such as endometriosis. Sanoria combines proprietary cannabinoid and botanical compounds, telehealth-enabled data capture, and AI-driven molecular discovery to create a scalable pipeline from direct-to-consumer wellness products to IND-track pharmaceutical candidates. The platform is designed to generate real-world evidence while accelerating drug discovery, bridging consumer health and clinical development. Prior to Node Labs, Avenius held strategic and business leadership roles including at Sony, where she focused on scaling partnerships, launching new market initiatives, and commercializing emerging technologies. Her career has centered on identifying frontier technologies and building capital-efficient growth strategies that attract institutional investors and strategic acquirers.Avenius frequently speaks on AI-enabled biology, IP monetization in biotech, and the convergence of digital health, plant science, and drug discovery. She is recognized for building cross-disciplinary platforms that unite data, biology, and commercialization to unlock new therapeutic opportunities
