SynBioBeta Speaker
Michael Weiner
Abbratech
Founder & CEO
Michael P. Weiner, Ph.D. obtained his graduate training at Penn State Univ. (Microbiology and Immunology) and Cornell Univ. (Genetics). He was the first to clone and sequence the methylation enzyme of the BamHI restriction endonuclease. His post-doctoral training was in the Dept of Physical Chemistry at Cornell, where he investigated the in vitro folding behavior of RNaseA and prethrombin. Major scientific accomplishments include inventing and commercializing: (i) the Quikchange site-directed mutagenesis kit (Stratagene), (ii) Next generation DNA sequencing and emulsion PCR (454 Life Sciences), and (iii) DNA barcoding Luminex beads for bead-based genotyping (GSK). His other inventions include: (i) digital droplet PCR (Raindance), (ii) phage biopanning using emulsions (Affomix), (iii) emulsion-based DNA sequencing (GnuBio), (iv) FAC sorting phage particles (AxioMx), (v) single molecule proteomic sequencing (Encodia) and (vi) site-directed antibodies (AbbraTech, Precision BioTools). He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles, over 50 U.S. patents and patent applications, and edited 3 books in his areas of expertise (cloning, expression and Sequencing). A serial scientific entrepreneur he has either founded or been one of the first scientists at the following companies, Stratagene, RainDance Technologies, 454 Life Sciences, Affomix, AxioMx, GnuBio, Encodia, Abbratech and Precision BioTools. Dr Weiner has received the Connecticut Entrepreneur of the year award (2016) and the Citetab (although he hopes it is not yet over) Lifetime Achievement award (2019).
