Connecting Phage world

Dr. Zuzanna Kazmierczak is a molecular biologist and immunologist studying therapeutic bacteriophages. She focuses on phage–immune system interactions, assessing the safety and efficacy of phage particles and proteins in animal models to advance phage research toward clinical use against antimicrobial resistance.

After the Brussels attack, Karen was left with almost no chance to survive. When infections worsened and antibiotics failed, she and Dr. Eskenazi fought desperately for phage therapy. Against all odds, it saved her. After more than 60 surgeries and years in the hospital, Karen’s recovery stands as a deeply moving testament to strength, hope, and the miracle of phages.

Dr. Tobi Nagel is the Founder and President of Phages for Global Health, a non-profit organization that supports the use of phages in Africa and Asia—regions where roughly 90% of AMR-related deaths are expected to occur. She is also a Fulbright Global Scholar, focusing on how phage therapeutics are regulated in the US, Europe, and Australia.

Dr. Christian Grøndahl is the CEO and Founder of SNIPR BIOME, a clinical-stage biotech developing CRISPR-based microbiome therapies. With 30+ years in biotech, he holds multiple doctoral degrees, an MBA, and is co-inventor of pivotal CRISPR patents. He has received several major scientific and entrepreneurial awards.

Dr. Jean-Paul Pirnay is a biotechnology engineer and researcher at the Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Brussels. He helped establish the hospital’s cell and tissue banks and reintroduce phage therapy. Since 2004, he has led LabMCT, developing phage products with academic partners, contributing to PhagoBurn and Belgium’s phage therapy framework.

Tine Rikke Jørgensen is a Global Public Health specialist who worked at WHO on One Health and antimicrobial resistance. She developed the WHO Vintage Innovation workstream on bacteriophages to advance evidence for phage therapy. She now works at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, in the Phage Biodiscovery Group and supports biotech startups.

Dr. Saima Aslam is a Professor of Medicine at UC San Diego and Medical Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases. As Clinical Lead at the Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH), she has treated patients with phage therapy since 2017 and leads clinical research, including trials on phage use for recurrent UTIs and resistant infections.

Dr. Carmen Coxon is a biotherapeutics specialist at the MHRA, working at the intersection of novel antimicrobials, AMR and regulatory science. She maps emerging One Health products and supports developers in navigating regulatory and access challenges across the product lifecycle.

Dr. Alexander “Sandro” Sulakvelidze, President and CEO of Intralytix, is a leading expert in phage technology. He co-founded the company and has guided its research, regulatory strategy and patented innovations, helping grow Intralytix into a clinical‑stage, revenue‑generating firm with FDA‑cleared products and ongoing Phase 1/2a trials.

Dr. Shawna McCallin leads the Phage Therapy and Research Group at Balgrist University Hospital, focusing on developing and clinically translating phage therapy. She has contributed to multiple clinical studies, and serves in leadership roles within ISVM, ESGNTA and the International Phagistry registry.

Dr. Radu Botgros is an Infectious Diseases specialist and Senior Scientific Officer in the EMA’s Public Health Threats Department. He previously spent 10 years in clinical ID practice and has worked at EMA since 2009 on anti‑infectives, vaccines, and AMR. He is a member of the EMA Emergency Task Force (ETF).

Dr. Silvia Würstle, MD, MBA, is a physician–scientist and leading phage‑therapy expert who heads a 15‑member phage research lab at University Hospital Frankfurt. She helped establish phage therapy as a clinical option in Germany and now co‑coordinates the national guideline for personalized phage therapy.

Dr. Andrej Trampuz is Professor for Infectious Diseases and Chair of the Device-Related Infection Management Team at the Queensland University of technology (QUT) and the Royal Brisbane and Women´s Hospital (RBWH). He is the founder of the ESCMID Study Group on Implant-Associated Infections (ESGIAI) and the non-profit PRO-IMPLANT Foundation.

Dr. Minmin Yen is CEO and Co-founder of PhagePro, developing bacteriophage solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Yen has been recognized with honors including MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35, Boston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business, and the Henri Termeer Legacy Fellowship.

Amanda Burkardt is CEO of Phiogen. As a commercialization expert with 15+ years of experience bridging science and business, she leads global commercialization of next-generation phage therapies for deadly bacterial infections.