NewLeaf Symbiotics congratulates its very own Dr. Natalie Breakfield, who has been selected for The Healthcare Technology Report’s Top 25 Women Leaders in Biotechnology for 2021!
Dr. Natalie Breakfield is the Vice President of Research & Discovery at NewLeaf, a biotechnology startup based out of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri. With 15 years of research experience with pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs (the microbe NewLeaf exclusively focuses on), her expertise has been invaluable in the discovery, development, and commercialization of this technology, which is available today under the brand name of NewLeaf Technology.
Breakfield joined NewLeaf in its infancy as a staff scientist in 2014. Her ability to collaborate across teams and bring forward and implement new ideas while remaining adaptable has been instrumental to NewLeaf’s commercial success as a small startup. Natalie received her Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from Quincy University (Quincy, IL), Master of Science in molecular biology from University of Missouri (Kansas City, MO), and her Ph.D. in genetics and genomics from Duke University (Durham, NC). She is a Board of Directors member of the International Phytobiomes Alliance Board and a recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellowship. Over the course of her career, Natalie has been featured in 12 peer reviewed papers and granted 3 patents.
As we have seen in recent years and months, biotechnology plays a critical role in the well-being of our global society. With the COVID-19 pandemic shining a spotlight on the importance of life sciences, both private and public organizations are providing unprecedented levels of funding and support to companies in the biotech space. The accomplished women selected for this year’s awards have distinguished themselves through their professional achievements and contributions to their organizations. They represent a diverse range of positions, specialties, and backgrounds. This includes women building new companies, women unlocking revolutionary ways to treat deadly diseases, and other top female executives who are helping their companies navigate market expansion, legal considerations, and brand awareness, among other areas.
These exceptional leaders were selected based on hundreds of nominations and comprehensive analysis of professional milestones achieved, longevity in the biotech field and demonstrated domain expertise. Further research was conducted using a broad set of data including feedback from colleagues, industry influence, key company events milestones, previous honors and recognition, and numerous other metrics. Please join us in recognizing the achievements of the Top 25 Women Leaders in Biotechnology of 2021.
Read more about these 25 amazing female leaders here.
