Kendra Steele Email and Phone Number

Lepidext was founded as a result of a breakthrough discovery I made as a Senior Research Scientist with ParaTechs Corp. I was able to isolate different viral strains capable of sterilizing the corn earworm, which is a crop destroying insect that costs the agricultural industry over $2B annually. As a result of my research, one of my viral strains turned into a viable product, and Lepidext was launched. My contribution to the project secured my promotion to CSO for this new company. •… Show more Lepidext was founded as a result of a breakthrough discovery I made as a Senior Research Scientist with ParaTechs Corp. I was able to isolate different viral strains capable of sterilizing the corn earworm, which is a crop destroying insect that costs the agricultural industry over $2B annually. As a result of my research, one of my viral strains turned into a viable product, and Lepidext was launched. My contribution to the project secured my promotion to CSO for this new company. • Responsible for full scientific direction and implementation of research programs• Generated data, wrote and awarded patent number 9,770,033 “Composition and methods for pest control management.” Listed as inventor; Received patent in a year• Prepared and awarded grants USDA 2018-33610-28249 and KY state match CED-2018-001-02; these grants secured funding for the company for 1.3 years• Prepared technical reports• Implemented regimented R&D processes and safety procedures• Led all EPA processes leading to product application and approval within 1.5 years.• Responsible for securing investors to the company• Represent the face of the company within the technical and entrepreneur communities by presenting to accelerator programs and at scientific conferences• Led marketing efforts, securing advertising placements• Mentored employees to achieve personal success. One employee won the global Alltech’s Young Scientist Competition, the largest and most prestigious Agri-science competition in the world Show less

• Generated data for five awarded research grants • Led all contract work generated by the company. Was responsible for statements of work, data reports, and maintaining client satisfaction• Invented and developed a membrane protein purification product that Foresight Science & Technology expected to reach over $11M in sales by year 3 for the company• Led all research and development activities for 3 of the 9 products in the ParaTechs commercial portfolio• Led client engagement… Show more • Generated data for five awarded research grants • Led all contract work generated by the company. Was responsible for statements of work, data reports, and maintaining client satisfaction• Invented and developed a membrane protein purification product that Foresight Science & Technology expected to reach over $11M in sales by year 3 for the company• Led all research and development activities for 3 of the 9 products in the ParaTechs commercial portfolio• Led client engagement and retention through custom project development leading to 20% of company revenues in the 2015-2018 calendar years• Led the design, development, and commercialization of products sold through the companies leading commercial partner, Oxford Expression Technologies (pOET8 vectors)• Prepared and awarded grant NIH RGM123800A, securing funding for 1 year Show less

There are only four two component regulatory systems in Haemophilus influenzae, three of which had known functions. Kendra discovered the fourth two component regulatory system, QseBC (FirRS), was involved in ferrous iron transport.

Brucella abortus is a biosafety level 3 pathogen that causes spontaneous abortion in cattle and undulant fever in humans. Strangely, in humans this pathogen resides in an important immune cell, the macrophage. Kendra studied how B. abortus could survive the macrophage's toxic oxidative burst. She found that AhpCD is the primary detoxifier of the low concentrations of endogenous hydrogen peroxide in B. abortus, while catalase, KatE, plays a bigger role in detoxifying large amounts of… Show more Brucella abortus is a biosafety level 3 pathogen that causes spontaneous abortion in cattle and undulant fever in humans. Strangely, in humans this pathogen resides in an important immune cell, the macrophage. Kendra studied how B. abortus could survive the macrophage's toxic oxidative burst. She found that AhpCD is the primary detoxifier of the low concentrations of endogenous hydrogen peroxide in B. abortus, while catalase, KatE, plays a bigger role in detoxifying large amounts of hydrogen peroxide. Neither AhpCD nor KatE is essential for this bacterium's survival in the host macrophage, but Kendra discovered that B. abortus no longer survives in the macrophage if both AhpCD and KatE are mutated.She also found that AhpCD was regulated by the iron responsive regulator, Irr. Show less