David Melis
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David Melis Email & Phone Number

Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing at Self-employed
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States 13 work roles 1 school
6 phones found area 650 and 510 LinkedIn matched
✓ Verified July 2026 4 data sources Profile completeness 100%

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Current company
Role
Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, United States

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David Melis is listed as Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing at Self-employed, based in San Francisco Bay Area, United States. AeroLeads shows phone signal with area code 650, 510 and a matched LinkedIn profile for David Melis.

David Melis previously worked as Advisor at Morf and VP of Bioprocess Development at Cuvia Inc.. David Melis holds Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Chemistry from Willamette University.

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Self-employed

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About David Melis

David Melis is a Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing at Self-employed. He possess expertise in purification, assay development, technology transfer, biofuels, biotechnology and 14 more skills. Colleagues describe him as "David is the kind of leader that every company wishes to have. I was lucky enough to work under David for almost two years at Shiru while he was the Director of Fermentation, overseeing and advising all bioprocessing functions from fermentation screening to downstream processing (DSP) scale-up. As a technical leader, David communicated complex data-driven topics with ease, enabling seamless decision making in conversations about fermentation data, host choice, and business development. The combination of his hands-on experience, vast knowledge, and drive to continue learning made him indispensable for every project we worked on together. He helped steer me towards affordable solutions for larger volume handling and guided titer correlations between Ferm and DSP. At the same time, David often asked me questions to gain a better understanding of my work in DSP and encouraged me to provide technical feedback in larger conversations. He demonstrated a genuine desire to enable those around him to succeed in their work. As a manager and mentor, David embodied servant leadership. He opened every group meeting asking for roadblocks or challenges the team was facing. He quickly had a proven track record of addressing these challenges or pulling in the right resources to get over the roadblock. For example, David spearheaded the hiring of a part-time lab technician after learning about the growing burden of facilities upkeep on the research associates. It was even little things, like tirelessly tracking down the culprit of a strange smell in the lab and overseeing the contractors who solved the problem. Throughout that, David was always transparent in his decision making. He always shared business critical information with our team and how it affected our work. Personally, David took the time to learn more about me and my motivations and used this information to help me develop into a better leader and teammate. In essence, David elevated those around him and his willingness to be a part of any conversation, easy or hard, demonstrated his genuine care for his coworkers and their work. David's leadership style is an inspiration, and he will undoubtedly provide any organization with his unique combination of technical prowess, mentorship, and friendly disposition.", "David is a phenomenal leader, and a valuable asset to any project he is involved in. I am incredibly grateful to have been a direct report to David during his role as Director of Fermentation at Shiru, and in his reporting line during his role as Director of Fermentation at Lygos. His technical knowledge of fermentation theory and platforms has expedited the capabilities of every company he has been involved with. At Lygos, David oversaw the on-boarding and success of several different projects. At Shiru, David was responsible for establishing fermentation capabilities for both, the 5L benchtop scale, and the 20L pilot scale. David's interpersonal skills distinguish him as a truly valuable leader. His patience, curiosity, and "can-do" spirit allows him to elevate the coworkers all around him. David exercises his proficiency in providing feedback and coaching to efficiently grow the skillets of those in his reporting line. This enables high quality work output from his reports. Additionally, David's growth-mindset helps establish and sustain a positive work environment that anyone would feel lucky to find themselves a part of.", and "I worked under David as part of the Process Development team at Shiru. David is an exceptional manager with deep-rooted technical expertise in Fermentation process development. But his contributions went beyond only the technical, as he demonstrated remarkable leadership qualities, especially his commitment to going above and beyond his assigned role and fill in critical gaps in any organization. He played a pivotal part in building out our internal pilot plant, where his involvement spanned from designing and bringing infrastructure / utilities online to installing and commissioning bioreactor systems. While I was building out the DSP side of the Pilot Plant and trying to make everything food-safe, David's support was invaluable. David's ability to fill in gaps wherever necessary showcases his versatility and dedication to the success of the company as a whole. In summary, I wholeheartedly recommend David to any organization seeking a leader with not only strong technical skills in Process Development & Engineering but also someone who can inspire and guide teams to achieve greater goals."

Listed skills include Purification, Assay Development, Technology Transfer, Biofuels, and 15 others.

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David Melis's current company

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Self-employed
Self-Employed
Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing
San Francisco Bay Area
AeroLeads page
13 roles · 22 years

David Melis work experience

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Role listed

Self-Employed

San Francisco Bay Area

Advisor

Current

As an advisor to Morf, I’m helping them rethink how fermentation scale-up is approached, drawing from real-world industrial biotech experience. I provide both technical and leadership guidance to support this ambitious and innovative startup.

Mar 2024 - Present

Vp Of Bioprocess Development

Current
Feb 2024 - Present

Subject Matter Expert

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Mn, Us

As a subject matter expert for BioMADE, I share my industry knowledge to help the team develop a learning program focused on improving lab communication, tech transfer, and safety. This work is aimed at preparing the next generation of skilled bioprocess technicians and operators.

Mar 2024 - Nov 2024

Fermentation Advisor

Oakland, California, Us

• Fermentation Expertise and Networking: Provided expert advice and facilitated industry connections for clients.• Scale-Up and Production Optimization: Guided clients in scaling up production processes and optimizing microbial techniques.• Fermentation Lab Development: Advised on establishing and expanding fermentation labs, ensuring efficient research and production capabilities.

Jan 2024 - Feb 2024

Fermentation Consultant

Berkeley, California, Us

• Fermentation Expertise and Networking: Provided expert advice and facilitated industry connections for clients.•Product Opportunity and Landscape: Leveraged experience and market analysis to explore product opportunities, offering strategic recommendations for innovation and synergy between products and technology.

Jan 2024 - Jan 2024

Director Of Fermentation

Alameda, California, Us

• Pioneering Protein Discovery: Built a dynamic team to establish the fermentation and downstream processing (DSP) components of a cutting-edge protein discovery platform for innovative food applications.• TEA Evaluation: Directed pivotal Total Environmental Assessment (TEA) evaluation to optimize production routes for our innovative product.• Lab Build out: Oversaw pilot plant and lab commissioning, enabling efficient tech transfer to commercial leaders for product evaluation.• Team Management: Led a cross-functional team of 5 researchers, implementing a comprehensive food safety plan and enabling successful tastings of our groundbreaking protein.• Cost Efficiency: Negotiated significant cost-saving measures.• Protocol Standardization: Established a precise baseline fermentation process for consistent, industrial-scale production of novel proteins.• Product Quality: Delivered rapid, high-quality product lots for customer testing, driving valuable feedback for diverse applications.• Regulatory Excellence: Ensured compliance with state and local regulations, strategized certification as a food-safe production facility, and managed customs shipments for proprietary strains and novel foods.

Mar 2022 - Dec 2023

Director Of Portfolio Development

Hayward, California, Us

• Strategic Product Evaluation: Conducted comprehensive assessments of the biotech product landscape, identifying growth opportunities and market gaps to inform the company's portfolio strategy.• Risk Assessment Expertise: Established a robust product risk evaluation framework, allowing the company to proactively mitigate potential challenges and optimize resource allocation.• Customer-Centric Diversification: Engaged with prospective customers and stakeholders to drive diversification and expand market reach. Successfully cultivated relationships to gain traction, enhance product adoption, and drive business growth.

Apr 2021 - Jan 2022

Director Of Fermentation

Hayward, California, Us

• Fermentation Expertise: Leveraged deep fermentation knowledge to optimize microbial processes, resulting in cost-effective scaled up production of industrial chemicals.• Leadership and Team Management: Hired and built out a cross-functional teams to deliver on multiple production targets, through mentorship, training and fun open culture.• Innovation and Problem-Solving: Applied innovative solutions and problem-solving skills to overcome production challenges.

Jan 2015 - Apr 2021

Fermentation Scientist

Hayward, California, Us

Apr 2013 - Jan 2015

Volunteer

San Francisco, California, Us

Provided comprehensive homework assistance and actively engaged with 9th-grade students in the creation of captivating oral histories.

Oct 2012 - Apr 2013

Senior Associate Scientist (Sr. Ra)

Emeryville, Ca, Us

• Process Advancement and Scale-Up: Played a pivotal role in advancing fermentation processes and scale-up, specializing in E.coli and yeast cultures.• Contribution to Product Platforms: Made significant contributions to the Gates (Artemisinin) and Bio-Fene product platforms, enhancing their efficiency and performance.• On-Site Production Oversight: Provided on-site oversight for multiple scale-up production processes and strains, ensuring seamless and successful transitions from lab to industrial-scale production.

2005 - 2012 ~7 yrs

Intern

Applied Biosystems

Conducted DNA fingerprinting analysis on bovine, horse, and human forensic ladders, utilizing both capillary and plate electrophoresis techniques to perform sequencing and fingerprinting runs.

Jun 2002 - Aug 2002
1 education record

David Melis education

  • Willamette University
    Willamette University
    Chemistry
FAQ

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What company does David Melis work for?

David Melis works for Self-employed.

What is David Melis's role at Self-employed?

David Melis is listed as Leader in Fermentation Technology and Biomanufacturing at Self-employed.

What is David Melis's phone number?

AeroLeads has found 6 phone signal(s) with area code 650, 510 for David Melis at Self-employed.

Where is David Melis based?

David Melis is based in San Francisco Bay Area, United States while working with Self-employed.

What companies has David Melis worked for?

David Melis has worked for Self-Employed, Morf, Cuvia Inc., Biomade, and Melibio.

How can I contact David Melis?

You can use AeroLeads to view verified contact signals for David Melis at Self-employed, including work email, phone, and LinkedIn data when available.

What schools did David Melis attend?

David Melis holds Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Chemistry from Willamette University.

What skills is David Melis known for?

David Melis is listed with skills including Purification, Assay Development, Technology Transfer, Biofuels, Biotechnology, Fermentation, Fermentation Process Development, and Yeast.

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