UC San Diego Innovators Earn Biocom Life Science Catalyst Awards

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Prof. Rob Knight is among the winners of this year’s Biocom Life Sciences Catalyst Awards, which honors promising young academics and entrepreneurs.

Biocom, the association representing the California life science community, has announced the winners of its inaugural Life Science Catalyst Awards, presented in conjunction with the San Diego Venture Group, and UC San Diego-related innovators are prominent among the awardees:

• Rob Knight, faculty director, Center for Microbiome Innovation, pediatrics, computer science and engineering, UC San Diego.
• Ed Truitt, co-founder and chief executive officer, Lubris BioPharma.
• Ashley Van Zeeland, chief technology officer, Human Longevity.

Earning honorable mention were other UC San Diego-related innovators:

• Prashant Mali, assistant professor of bioengineering, UC San Diego.
• David Puerta, chief operating officer, Forge Therapeutics.
• Dina Uzri, R&D and business development, Abreos Biosciences.

“We’re happy to see young campus, spinoff, and startup entrepreneurs recognized for their problem-solving creativity,” said Paul Roben, associate vice chancellor for innovation at UC San Diego.

The program celebrates up-and-coming academics, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and business advisers who are making a lasting and positive mark on San Diego's life science industry before reaching their 40th birthday.

"The recipients of the Life Science Catalyst Awards represent the future of our biotechnology industry — a future that's extremely exciting," said Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom. "These inspiring individuals are leading the growth of life sciences in San Diego and beyond, and are actively shaping what our industry will look like tomorrow. Biocom congratulates them for their achievements."