I am currently employed as CEO BioLyo Technologies, a spin out of Iliad Biotechnologies. BioLyo is a CDMO solely focussed on live biologicals, i.e. live vaccines and microbiome derived products. At this point we offer medium development, fermentation and lyophilization development, process characterization. The GMP facility will be operational early 2024. Before Iliad, I worked at GT Biologics (now 4D Pharma) and Qu Biologics in similar roles, being responsible for process development and GMP manufacture of the lead products, both indications being Crohn's disease. Before Qu Biologics, I worked as Scientic Officer for SynCo Bio Partners (now Wacker), a leading Contract Manufacturing Organisation, as part of Business Development. I was involved in all incoming projects at SynCo from a scientific and a business perspective, designing cost-effective production processes whether for live or for protein biologicals. I've also acted as a consultant for SynCo's clients, helping the client with their in-house development prior to transfer of the production process to SynCo. Prior to working for SynCo l worked at the Netherlands Vaccine Institute for 14 years in various positions, the last position being the head of the Process Development Department. At the NVI I was involved in the optimization of the production processes of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, inactivated polio, meningitis vaccine, getting a PhD on pertussis, the causative agent of Whooping Cough "Whooping cough vaccines: production of virulent biomass"(ISBN number: 978-90-8504-953-1).Specialties: Fermentation and processing of pathogens, lactic acid bacteria, anaerobes, i.e. bugs with an impaired metabolism, preferably using disposable technology. Also, developing production processes for live organisms as the active ingredient, including lyo-development. My current Drug Development work at Iliad Biotechnologies focuses on the production of intact, live and active B. pertussis cells.