Running Tide
Running Tide is an ocean health company focusing on biodiversity and carbon removal, leveraging cutting-edge hardware, software, and data systems to understand and address the climate emergency.
I currently serve as Running Tide’s first VP of Biotechnology. Previously I served as the first Director of US Macroalgae Research and the first Head of Genetics. Additionally, I started the Running Tide biotechnology facility in St. Louis, MO and served as General Manager of that facility.
LeafWorks
LeafWorks is a botanical identification company generating novel genomic and horticultural IP in the emerging cannabis and medicinal plant industries. This IP is translated into robust verification tools and services to standardize regulatory testing and mitigate fraud across supply chains.
I helped launch the company in April 2019 serving as a member of the core leadership team. I served as LeafWork’s first Director of Bioinformatics and eventually Director of Data Science as our scope expanded. Additionally, I was the company’s Communications lead for my time there.
PhD Dissertation
My dissertation focused on understanding plant response and genetic limitations of seedling growth to drought stress. I use cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) as a model organism coupling the subfields of genetic mapping, plant physiology, bioinformatics, and image-analysis to identify candidate genes responsible for improved drought resistance at the seedling stage.
Additional Bioinformatic Projects
These are bioinformatic projects or standalone pieces of scientific work outside my career in industry.
rishimasalia.com 