Biomanufacturing in Space Symposium November 6, 2025
Join the University of Florida In Space Biomanufacturing Innovation Hub consortium members as they share a series of rapid-fire talks about their research that leverage the unique environment of microgravity to produce biomolecules and biomaterials with medical applications to benefit both health on Earth and on deep space missions.
symposium Agenda and venue
| Time | Session and Speaker | Speaker Title | Presentation Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 - 8:55 a.m. | Registration & Coffee Social | ||
| 9:00 - 9:10 a.m. | Welcome Remarks and Milestones Update: Siobhan Malany, University of Florida | Director In-Space Biomanufacturing Innovation Hub Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy | From Vision to Reality: Advancing In-Space Biomanufacturing Through Collaboration and Discovery |
| 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. | Keynote: Cora Thiel, Univeristy of Zurich, CSA | Vice Director, Institute of Aerospace Medicine UZH Space Hub | Gravitational Biology of Human Cells: A long Journey into the Age of Application |
| 9:50 - 10:20 a.m. | Panel - Building the Space Ecosystem with Private and Public Partnerships, Moderated by Davide Marotta, Chief Science Officer – Helogen Corporation • Rachael Seidler, Director Astraeus Institute, Professor University of Florida • Jamie Foster, Asst Director Astraeus Institute & Co-Lead of C-STARS, Professor University of Florida • Cora Thiel, Vice Director, Institute of Aerospace Medicine & UZH Space Hub | This panel explores how public, private, and academic collaborations—spanning regions from Europe to Florida—are shaping the next phase of space innovation by aligning missions, sharing infrastructure, and fostering trust across sectors. | |
| 10:25 - 10:40 a.m. | BREAK | ||
| 10:45 - 12:00 p.m. | Speaker Discussions: Frontiers in Synthetic Biology and In-Space Moderated by: Yousong Ding, Professor, University of Florida | ||
| 10:45 - 11:10 a.m. | Keynote: Mark Blenner, University of Delaware | Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering | Microbial Space Biomanufacturing: Where We’ve Been and Where We Need to Be |
| 11:10 - 11:25 a.m. | Nils Averesch, University of Florida | Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science | Carbon Loops in Space: Microbial Biotechnology as Mission Enabler |
| 11:25 - 11:40 a.m | Aaron Berliner, Weill Cornell Medicine | Researcher, Department Radiation Oncology | Towards Higher Fidelity Technoeconmic Analysis of Space Bioprocess Engineering Technologies for the Next Generation of Spacefaring |
| 11:40 - 11:55 p.m. | Amor Menezes, University of Florida | Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | Engineering Biology to Close the Loop in Space |
| 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 - 2:05 p.m. | Speaker Discussions: Next-Gen Therapies and Diagnostics for Human Health in Space Moderated by Amber Paul, Assistant Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | ||
| 1:00 - 1:25 p.m. | Keynote: Yupeng Chen, University of Connecticut | Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering | Nanoparticle Manufacturing in Microgravity to Improve Pharmaceutical Efficacy |
| 1:25 - 1:40 p.m. | Mandip Sachdeva, Florida A&M University | Professor and Section Leader, Pharmaceutics | Exosome production and characterization using a 3D Printed Random Positioning Machine |
| 1:40 - 1:55 p.m. | Cassandra Juran, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Assistant Professor of Aerospace Physiology | Biomanufacturing Bone Marrow in Space to Cure Blood Disease |
| 1:55 - 2:10 p.m. | Melanie Coathup, University of Central Florida | Professor & Director of Biionix Cluster | Preventing Radiation- and Unloading-Induced Injury: A Novel Countermeasure to Protect Bone |
| 2:10 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | BREAK | ||
| 2:35 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. | Speaker Discussions: Scaling Microgravity Biomanufacturing in Research, AI, and Intelligent Engineering Moderated by: Siobhan Malany, Associate Professor, University of Florida | ||
| 2:35 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Keynote: Joshua Hunsberger, Wake Forest University | Chief Technology Officer, RegenMed Development Organization (ReMDO) | AI and Biomanufacturing: Building the Future of Regenerative Medicine on Earth and in Space |
| 3:00 - 3:15 p.m. | Kunal Mitra, Florida Tech | Professor of Biomedical Engineering | AI- Integrated High-Throughput Tissue-Chip for Space Biomanufacturing Applications |
| 3:15 - 3:30 p.m. | Ellie Mak, G-SPACE, INC | G-Space | Software Platform for Microgravity Analytics, Optimization, and Prediction |
| 3:40 - 4:40 p.m. | Panel - Building the Space Economy: Infrastructure, Innovation, and Investment, Moderated by Jana Stoudemire, Senior Executive, Barrios Technology Panelists: • Brian Miske, Americas Space Lead KPMG • Olivia Holzhaus, Founder & CEO Rhodium Scientific • Rick Ward, Founder & CEO OrbitsEdge • Johnny Williams, Founder PlayerEpic | This panel brings together leaders from diverse sectors — from infrastructure development and investment strategy to AI-driven innovation — to explore how we can build a ready, resilient, and self-sustaining space economy. The discussion will highlight how partnerships, technology, and new financing models are shaping the future of space commercialization. | |
| 4:40 - 4:55 p.m. | Closing Remarks | ||
| 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. | Reception & Networking |
Host Venue
UF Research and Academic Center
The UF Research and Academic Center at Lake Nona is a 110,000 square foot LEED platinum certified building carrying out basic, clinical and translational research in drug discovery and development.
Meet The KEYNOTE SPEAKERs
meet the panelists
Meet our Partner Companies
hosted by the IN-SPACE BIOMANUFACTURING FOR HUMAN HEALTH INNOVATION HUB
University of florida
In-Space Biomanufacturing for Human Health Innovation
The InSpa Bio Hub was established through the University of Florida’s strategic funding initiative. Led by Siobhan Malany, Ph.D., an associate professor in the UF College of Pharmacy, the hub will align researchers across the university to conduct astrobiology experiments in space and on the ground to reveal the significant effects of low gravity on biological systems.