Prof Chua Nam Hai - Chairman
Professor Chua Nam Hai has a distinguished academic career beginning with his B.S. in Botany and Biochemistry from the University of Singapore in 1965 and his A.M. and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1967 and 1969, respectively. He was a lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Singapore Medical School from 1969 to 1971. Professor Chua joined Rockefeller in 1971 as a Research Associate in Cell Biology, was named Assistant Professor in 1973, Associate Professor in 1977 and Professor in 1981. Since 1988, Professor Chua holds the position of the Andrew W. Mellon Professor and Head of Laboratory of Plant Molecular Biology at the Rockefeller University, New York City.
Professor Chua has served and continues to serve on advisory boards of governmental organizations, academic institutions and multinational companies in 16 countries. He was awarded Einstein Professorship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2007. He is currently the Chairman of the Strategic Research Program Management Committee and a member of the Management Board of Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (Singapore). Professor Chua also serves as a Corporate Advisor to Temasek Holdings. In this capacity, he advises Temasek Holdings on potential biotechnology investments globally
Dr. K. K. Narayanan
Dr. K. K. Narayanan is the Managing Director of Metahelix Life Sciences; a Bangalore-based Ag-biotech Company that is focused on developing technologies for crop improvement. Metahelix has core competence in plant genomics and informatics combined with proven capabilities in the genetic transformation of several crop species including corn, cotton, rice and select vegetable species.
Narayanan is trained as a plant breeder and molecular biologist. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at Coimbatore, India. He later on carried out post-doctoral research at the Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University under a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship.
Returning to India, he started his career as a scientist at the SPIC Science Foundation, Chennai and later moved on to lead the Crop Transformation and Functional Genomics programme at the Monsanto Research Centre, Bangalore. In 2001, he along with four other scientist colleagues founded Metahelix Life Sciences and has since been leading its operations.
Narayanan is a member of several committees and advisory bodies including the Task Force on “Agricultural Biotechnology”, the Working Group on “Biosafety Regulations”, both of the DBT, Government of India, “Vision Group” on Biotechnology set up by the Karnataka Government and the “Biotechnology Commission” of the Kerala Government. He is a member of the Executive Council of the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), an association of the Indian Biotechnology Industry, and was its immediate past President.
Dr. Peter Chan
Dr. Peter Chan has a multi-disciplinary science and business management background.
He has a B.Sc. in pharmacy from Northeastern University, a Ph.D. in toxicology and pharmacology from University of Mississippi Medical School, and a diploma in Executive Management from the Wharton Business School. Dr. Chan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (D.A.B.T.).
In his 15 years career with Rohm and Haas Company (now part of Dow Chemical Company), he was a bench toxicologist in testing of specialty chemicals, a program manager in risk assessment, product development and regulatory compliance of agricultural chemicals, and the technical and business manager of Asian Pacific regional biocides business. From 1996 to 2010, Dr. Chan was the Managing Director of Nipsea Technologies Pte ltd, the technical division of Nippon Paint South East Asia. Dr. Chan has also been the Managing Director of PCTS Specialty Chemicals Pte Ltd, a regional raw materials supplier to the coating industry. Dr. Chan is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department and in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department of the National University of Singapore, a member of the Singapore Standard Council, the Chairman of the Singapore Chemical Standard Committee, a council member of Singapore National Institute of Chemistry (SNIC). As an environmental scientist and a coating expert, Dr. Chan has been a strong advocate for environmentally friendly coatings and materials. Dr. Chan has published over 20 papers in scientific journals, authored 4 chapters in textbooks, and taught many courses in the areas of industrial chemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences and coating technologies. He has been a frequent speaker in scientific conferences.
Makoto Hattori
Makoto Hattori has an extensive experience in bridging collaboration between science and business after graduating from Saitama University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981.
In his 30 years career with Toyota Tsusho Corporation, he has spent about 21 years with the Food stuff department and has vast experience in food processing business, bringing local food to global market. He spent 3 years in the Bio Project team and is now the GM of Project, Business Development Department, with an extensive knowledge in biotechnology and market channel.
He won the technology prize in 2010 “Biodiesel Production by Supercritical Fluid Technologies” offered by the Japan Society of Energy and Resources academy association.
He serves in many advisory board including NPO BIO Factory Central Japan, Japan Bio-venture Development Association, TRVP LLC, Terabase Inc., Nagoya University, Okayama prefecture, Japan Biomass EXPO