Dr. Kambiz Shekdar Bio
Dr. Kambiz Shekdar
Chair, BioTech Committee
AmCham Abu Dhabi
Rockefeller University Alumnus
Secondcell Bio
CEO
Lifelong Biotech Inventor & Entrepreneur
Over the last 32 years, I’ve dedicated myself to biotechnology research, starting at Princeton University’s labs at age 16. This early exposure propelled me into doctoral studies by 19 at The Rockefeller University, under Nobel Laureate Günter Blobel. It was here, in the esteemed environment of what is arguably the U.S.’s top graduate research program, that I developed Chromovert® Technology, a novel approach to cell engineering.
Transforming Ideas in the Imagination to Working in Technologies in the Lab
With Günter, I co-founded Chromocell Corporation, serving as Chief Scientific Officer. Without any initial capital, I built a team from scratch, evolving Chromovert® Technology from concept to reality in the lab, and unlocking a spectrum of applications previously deemed unreachable.
This journey led to the IPO enabled by Chromovert® Technology on February 16, 2024, on the NYSE, focused on a non-addictive painkiller, marking a significant milestone and placing us ahead of industry leaders like Merck and Pfizer.
The technology’s versatility was further demonstrated by Nestlé’s launch of the first natural flavors that enhance salty taste, highlighting its broad impact.
Accelerating Biotechnology in the UAE
As the UAE aims to diversify its economy, I’m eager to contribute by relocating there to scale up our technology through an Emirati joint venture, advancing our goal to innovate and commercialize breakthroughs in medicine and consumer products. I now own the IP for Chromovert® Technology through my venture, Secondcell Bio, with IP strategy by a premier U.S. firm that once represented Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers. Emirati leadership, vision and demonstrated ability to expand the nation’s globally competitive knowledge-based sector is what gravitates me to the UAE, where I believe our partnership will allow us to jointly realize and propel the full potential of our platform technology to advance science, regional & global human health, Inshallah!