ILSI 2024 Annual Meeting Session 1 – Cultivated Meats

René Viñas, PhD, Senior Manager, Toxicologist, UPSIDE Foods, USA

Dr. René Viñas, is a Board-Certified Toxicologist at UPSIDE Foods, where he contributes expertise in toxicology to support new research initiatives. Prior roles include safety and regulatory positions at The Coca-Cola Company and the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Earlier in his career, Dr. Viñas served as an ORISE Fellow in the U.S. FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, focusing on risk assessment for nanomaterials in medical devices. Viñas earned his PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology from The University of Texas – Medical Branch.

David L. Kaplan, PhD, is the Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering at Tufts University, a Distinguished University Professor, and Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. His research focuses on biopolymer engineering, tissue engineering and cellular agriculture. He has published over 1,000 peer reviewed papers, is editor-in-chief of ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering and is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Mathew Lau, PhD, A*STAR, Singapore

Associate Professor Mathew Lau is currently Director of Strategy, Industry and Project in the Bioprocessing Technology Institute of Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Before this, he was in various roles within Nanyang Polytechnic including Chairperson of the Institutional Review Board, Professional Development Department taking care of the National SkillsFuture movement and the School of Applied Sciences in Singapore. Prior to joining Nanyang Polytechnic, Dr. Lau was the General Manager for South East Asia of Merieux NutriSciences. He is a microbiologist and molecular biologist with almost three decades of experience in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Regulatory Compliance, Microbiology, Safety and Quality Management Systems. He is currently Adjunct Associate Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology and had previously served as adjunct lecturer at Newcastle University (Singapore), the University of New South Wales, Australia as well as a visiting researcher at Harvard University, USA. A/Prof. Lau also serves on the Board of Governors for the NSF funded International Biomanufacturing Network and as key opinion leader on the Scientific Advisory Boards for MNCs and NGOs.

David Prescott, PhD, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada

Dr. David Prescott is a Research Scientist in the Regulatory Toxicology Research Division of Health Canada, where he acts as the division’s specialist in immunology, allergy, and immunotoxicity.  He is one of the Government of Canada’s leaders in the risk assessment of foods produced by cellular agriculture and sits on internal and international working groups tasked with the identification of knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to ensure that these products are safe to consume.  He holds a BSc in Pharmacology and Toxicology from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and a PhD in Physiology with a specialization in Gastrointestinal Sciences from the University of Calgary, Canada.

David B. Schmidt, Executive Director, AOAC International, USA

Dave Schmidt was appointed as Executive Director by AOAC INTERNATIONAL’s Board of Directors effective May 1, 2018. Prior to joining AOAC, he was principal consultant for Schmidt Commonwealth Strategies, LLC. From 2006 to 2015, he served as president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and CEO of the IFIC Foundation in Washington, D.C. He joined IFIC in 1993 and held positions from Director to Executive Vice President prior to being elected CEO. Dave also served as the first Bush Administration's director of external affairs for USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service where he addressed food safety and nutrition issues and managed the inspection agency's media, legislative, and consumer education programs. He also gained a thorough understanding of the food industry in previous sales positions with Oscar Mayer Foods, Pepsi-Cola USA, and Canada Dry Corp. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University, and completed graduate business studies at the University of New Orleans. He has also served the Town of Leesburg, Virginia, as a town councilmember.