AYANA BIO’S CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR, DR. SARAH O’CONNOR, ELECTED AS FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY

DR. SARAH O’CONNOR, DIRECTOR OF NATURAL PRODUCT BIOSYNTHESIS, MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR CHEMICAL ECOLOGY,  RECOGNIZED FOR HER SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Boston, May 19, 2023 Ayana Bio is proud to announce that Dr. Sarah O’Connor, our chief science advisor, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK’s oldest science academy in continuous existence. This prestigious appointment is a testament to Dr. O’Connor’s exceptional contributions to the field of plant cell cultivation and her unwavering dedication to advancing scientific research.

The Royal Society has elected 80 researchers, innovators, and communicators from around the world as the newest Fellows, all of whom have made substantial contributions to the advancement of science. Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, expressed his delight in welcoming this year’s cohort, stating that they have “confounded expectations and transformed our thinking.”
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Frank Jaksch, chief executive officer of Ayana Bio, expressed his pride in Dr. O’Connor’s achievement, stating that “Sarah’s appointment as a Fellow of the Royal Society is a reflection of her unwavering commitment to scientific research, and her contributions to the field of plant cell cultivation are truly remarkable. We are honored to have Sarah serve as our chief science advisor and help Ayana Bio advance plant cell cultivation to make nature’s bioactives more accessible for improving nutrition deficiencies.”
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Effendi Leonard, cofounder and chief technology officer of Ayana Bio, added, “When I conceived of Ayana Bio, I knew Sarah was the right partner. Her innovative approaches conserve nature while advancing the science on how plants use simple building blocks to construct complex architectures with biological function.”
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“I’ve always loved the Royal Society’s motto: Nullius in verba or ‘take nobody’s word for it.’ My group has never been afraid to work on difficult problems because we understand how this work can improve people’s lives and the health of the planet,” adds Dr. Sarah O’Connor. We congratulate Dr. O’Connor on this well-deserved honor and look forward to her continued contributions to the field of science.
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The Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society join the ranks of some of the world’s greatest scientists, including Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin.

About Ayana Bio
Ayana Bio makes sustainable bioactives for health and wellness products using plant cell cultivation rather than agriculture. Ayana Bio collaborates with global industry leaders in consumer packaged goods brands, supplements, specialized nutrition, over the counter, and traditional medicines to create standardized bioactives that give consumers confidence in quality and reliability—while preserving the planet. There’s no better way to produce what comes from plants than using plant cells. For more information, visit www.ayanabio.com.

Media Contacts
Kara Yacovone
ayanabio@missionnorth.com