We are researchers and innovators on a mission to make sustainability taste better.
Meet Our Team
Zachary Houston
Research Associate
Zachary works with our engineering research team to turn raw ingredients into useful fats. He received his bachelor’s in molecular biology from Penn State and master’s in biotechnology from the University of San Francisco. Prior to Yali Bio, he studied Hawaiian Bobtail Squid bioluminescence at the Miyashiro Lab at Penn State. You can find him gaming, deep in a science fiction novel, or glued to the TV watching a suspenseful thriller.
James Kirby
Scientific Advisor
James helps us develop our performance fats. He has over two decades of experience as a team scientist on mission-driven projects. He received his bachelor’s in industrial microbiology from University College Dublin and his doctorate in molecular biology from the University of Aberdeen. His scientific and entrepreneurial projects include developing biofuels using yeast and encouraging ethical consumerism. Catch him hiking or listening to Taylor Swift.
Dauson Larrabee
Intern
Dauson supports our strain engineering and fermentation teams. He is pursuing his Master’s in Biotechnology at the University of San Francisco after receiving his master’s from Western Governors University and bachelor’s in biology from Eastern Washington University. He is a former chemistry educator. When not being confused with his identical twin brother, you’re most likely to find him gaming or lifting weights.
Yulin Lu
Co-founder & CEO
Yulin is a bioengineer and our fearless leader. Before Yali Bio, he led engineering and technology development for plant-based proteins at Impossible Foods and Just. He attended Dartmouth as an undergrad and received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from Purdue. You can find him in his spare time writing novels in his head, pounding coffee, or driving his kids to their games.
Galen Moynihan
Bioprocess Engineer
Galen works with our scientific team to grow and harvest lipids. He received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Union College and his master’s in engineering science from Dartmouth with a focus on bioprocess engineering. Before Yali Bio, Galen worked on how to make plant-based biofuel using fermentation and built a custom bioreactor as part of his research. When not at Yali Bio, you’re likely to find him skiing in Tahoe tapping into his New Hampshire roots.
Lara Ortiz-Luis
Strategic Partnerships
Lara leads strategic partnerships with us where she collaborates with diverse stakeholders in the business community including entrepreneurs and innovation leaders. She received master’s degrees in business and Integrated Design and Management from MIT after receiving her bachelor’s in human biology from Stanford. When not noshing on cheese and tinned fish, you can find her cooking seven-course dinners, playing outdoor volleyball, or doing the New York Times crossword.
Poornima Ramani
Associate Scientist
Poornima works with our scientific teams to engineer microbes for sustainable foods. She received her bachelor’s from Saint Aloysius College in biotechnology and her master’s in biotechnology from Vels University before receiving her Ph.D. in biological sciences from the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. In her spare time she enjoys traveling to explore new places and watching documentaries and horror movies.
Aravind Somanchi
Vice President of Biology
Aravind leads our team of precision fermentation scientists as they work to make healthier foods. His career as an executive scientist in disruptive food companies has involved technologies including cultivated meats, leather alternatives, and algal butter. He received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Louisiana State University. When not in the Yali Bio labs, you can find him doing kid things or pondering literature and art.
Rany Susanti
Analytical Chemistry Scientist
Rany works with our scientific team to produce our climate-smart fats as efficiently as possible. She received her Ph.D. in Crop Physiology from the University of Reading and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Food Technology and Processing and Food Chemistry Research from Bandung Institute of Technology. She previously worked at Mars Chocolate researching cocoa sustainability. When she’s not traveling the world you can find her cooking, trail running, or hiking.
LinkedIn
Peng Xu
Co-founder &
Chief Science Advisor
Peng co-founded Yali Bio and continues to guide our scientific developments. He received his bachelor’s in biological engineering and master’s in biochemical engineering from Jiangnan University. He earned his doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in biochemical and metabolic engineering and was a postdoc at MIT. When he’s not at Yali Bio, you can catch him mentoring students and encouraging them to work on fun research projects.
Rachel Zemser
Food Scientist
Rachel explores the possibilities of our ingredients in the development of new products. For more than two decades, she has pushed the limits of what food can do and how companies can make better food. A certified culinary scientist and a certified food scientist, she received her bachelor’s from the University of Massachusetts and master’s from the University of Illinois, both in food science. When not at Yali Bio, you can most likely find her hunting for seasonal produce.
Donna Wong
Lab Operations Associate
Donna helps our labs run smoothly. She is a former tech analyst and technology specialist, coming from past work with IBM and Hewlett-Packard. At Yali Bio, she taps into her passion for climate-smart food by working across teams to develop fats that can mitigate global warming and enhance the flavor profiles of plant-based foods. When she’s not in the labs at Yali Bio, you can find her volunteering to provide healthy meals and good food to those who need them most.
