Our Team
At the core of our values is the unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality of products and empowering our clients to excel in their primary focus, scientific discoveries. Our founders have curated a stellar team comprising experts in synthetic chemistry, instrumentation, chromatography, and commercialization. With decades of combined experience, each team member is passionately dedicated to the pursuit of our common goal.
Leadership Team
Dr. Xibo Li
A trained organic chemist with a specialization in nucleic acid chemistry, Xibo began his journey at the University of Utah. His career took a significant turn in 2015 when he joined Nitto Avecia, spearheading the process development for oligonucleotide therapeutic GMP manufacturing. In 2018, he transitioned to LGC Biosearch, where he played a pivotal role in establishing a groundbreaking Nucleic Acid Therapeutic CDMO business at the Petaluma site. Over the subsequent four years, under his leadership, the business unit achieved an impressive 83% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR). As a distinguished member of the LGC group Leadership Team, he not only fulfilled his regular responsibilities in the NAT (Axolabs) business unit but also played an integral role in the technical and advisory aspects of LGC's controlled pore glass, research and diagnostic oligo production portfolios in California operation and the Mermade synthesizer portfolio. Beyond his corporate role, he has been a sought-after consultant for numerous startup companies, providing invaluable insights into their CMC needs.
Dr. Baozhong Zhao
A seasoned organic chemist with 17+ years in oligonucleotide chemistry and biological research. With a six-year stint at Bio-Synthesis Inc., leading R&D for therapeutic and diagnostic oligo production, Baozhong joined LGC Biosearch in 2020 as Principal Scientist. In 2021, he took the helm at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, earning the 2021 Janssen R&D VP Award and SPARK Award. He spearheaded the establishment of in-house capacity for high-throughput and scaled-up oligo synthesis, managing external partnerships for project deliverables. His success extends to supporting technology transfer for oligo synthesis within portfolio projects from discovery to CMC teams.