Photo by Susanne Nilsson
Management
Dr. Michael Fromm, CEO
Mike is a founder and CEO of Epicrop (founded May 2013). He has extensive experience in the USDA, industry, and academia in the area of plant biotechnology, gene transfer and gene expression methods, chromatin modifications, and drought stress memory. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, his Ph.D. in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology from Stanford University, and his postdoctoral research was gene expression and transformation of corn, also at Stanford University. An early pioneer in corn and wheat genetic engineering, Mike also led the Monsanto corn team in developing its first insect resistant corn product and was subsequently a research director in Monsanto's agricultural biotechnology division. Mike was a founder of Mendel Biotechnology and its CEO from 1997-2000, and has been a professor of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska and the Director of the University's Center for Biotechnology from 2001-2014.
Science Advisory Board
Dr. Tom Hoegemeyer
Tom received his B.S. in Crop Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his Ph.D. in plant breeding from Iowa State University. Tom then joined the family business: Hoegemeyer Hybrids, founded in 1937, was one of the first U.S. corn seed companies, one that was started by Tom's grandfather. Tom is recognized as one of the most innovative and well-respected plant breeders in the seed industry and helped make Hoegemeyer Hybrids a major player in the Western Corn Belt. Tom is currently a Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he continues his research on corn breeding and genetics.
Dr. Sally Mackenzie
Dr. Sally Mackenzie is the inventor of the epigenetic discoveries licensed to Epicrop and is a founder of Epicrop. Sally obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Florida; was a Professor at Purdue University prior to moving the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she was the Founding Director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation, UNL 1999-2010, and is currently a Professor in the Agronomy and Horticulture Department. Her awards include the Young Crop Scientist Award, Crop Science Society of America 1995; Agricultural Research Award, Purdue University 1999; Elected Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science, 2004; Sigma Xi Outstanding Scientist Award, 2010; Elected Fellow, American Society of Plant Biologists, 2013; Quishi Chair Professor, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China 2012-present; and the Ralph and Alice Raikes Distinguished Professor of Plant Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1999-present.
Dr. Antoni Rafalski
Jan Antoni Rafalski completed his M.Sc in chemistry and doctorate at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. He spent several years as a Visiting Scientist at Yale University, with Prof. Dieter Söll, before joining DuPont Co. At DuPont Dr. Rafalski was a member of the team which obtained the first DNA sequence of the HIV virus, he was a co-discoverer of RAPD markers, and was involved the development of SSR markers for soy and maize, in plant EST sequencing program and in the development of maize SNP markers. He was involved in positional cloning of agronomically relevant maize genes and in whole genome association mapping (GWAS). More recently he focused on the analysis of maize epigenome across populations and breeding histories. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, and serves on the editorial board of several journals. His scientific interests include analysis of organization of plant genomes, plant genetic diversity at the DNA sequence level and application of molecular techniques in plant breeding.
Business Advisory Board
Dr. William C Zschoche
William started his career with Monsanto during the commercial launch of Roundup herbicide in the USA and later product development in Latin America market. During his last 15 years at Monsanto he was Director of Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures, Licensing and Planning and a member of the President’s Management Committee for the Global Agricultural Business. He has global experience in these areas and dozens of successfully implemented transactions. After leaving Monsanto, his work as a consultant has largely been focused on biotechnology start-ups, mergers, capitalization and licensing, where he brings expert negotiating skills and advice for his clients.
William holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a Ph.D. and M.A. in Biology from The University of California and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Plant Biochemistry at Michigan State University.
Dr. Michael Fromm, CEO
Mike is a founder and CEO of Epicrop (founded May 2013). He has extensive experience in the USDA, industry, and academia in the area of plant biotechnology, gene transfer and gene expression methods, chromatin modifications, and drought stress memory. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis, his Ph.D. in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology from Stanford University, and his postdoctoral research was gene expression and transformation of corn, also at Stanford University. An early pioneer in corn and wheat genetic engineering, Mike also led the Monsanto corn team in developing its first insect resistant corn product and was subsequently a research director in Monsanto's agricultural biotechnology division. Mike was a founder of Mendel Biotechnology and its CEO from 1997-2000, and has been a professor of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska and the Director of the University's Center for Biotechnology from 2001-2014.
Science Advisory Board
Dr. Tom Hoegemeyer
Tom received his B.S. in Crop Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his Ph.D. in plant breeding from Iowa State University. Tom then joined the family business: Hoegemeyer Hybrids, founded in 1937, was one of the first U.S. corn seed companies, one that was started by Tom's grandfather. Tom is recognized as one of the most innovative and well-respected plant breeders in the seed industry and helped make Hoegemeyer Hybrids a major player in the Western Corn Belt. Tom is currently a Professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he continues his research on corn breeding and genetics.
Dr. Sally Mackenzie
Dr. Sally Mackenzie is the inventor of the epigenetic discoveries licensed to Epicrop and is a founder of Epicrop. Sally obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Florida; was a Professor at Purdue University prior to moving the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she was the Founding Director of the Center for Plant Science Innovation, UNL 1999-2010, and is currently a Professor in the Agronomy and Horticulture Department. Her awards include the Young Crop Scientist Award, Crop Science Society of America 1995; Agricultural Research Award, Purdue University 1999; Elected Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science, 2004; Sigma Xi Outstanding Scientist Award, 2010; Elected Fellow, American Society of Plant Biologists, 2013; Quishi Chair Professor, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China 2012-present; and the Ralph and Alice Raikes Distinguished Professor of Plant Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1999-present.
Dr. Antoni Rafalski
Jan Antoni Rafalski completed his M.Sc in chemistry and doctorate at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan. He spent several years as a Visiting Scientist at Yale University, with Prof. Dieter Söll, before joining DuPont Co. At DuPont Dr. Rafalski was a member of the team which obtained the first DNA sequence of the HIV virus, he was a co-discoverer of RAPD markers, and was involved the development of SSR markers for soy and maize, in plant EST sequencing program and in the development of maize SNP markers. He was involved in positional cloning of agronomically relevant maize genes and in whole genome association mapping (GWAS). More recently he focused on the analysis of maize epigenome across populations and breeding histories. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, and serves on the editorial board of several journals. His scientific interests include analysis of organization of plant genomes, plant genetic diversity at the DNA sequence level and application of molecular techniques in plant breeding.
Business Advisory Board
Dr. William C Zschoche
William started his career with Monsanto during the commercial launch of Roundup herbicide in the USA and later product development in Latin America market. During his last 15 years at Monsanto he was Director of Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures, Licensing and Planning and a member of the President’s Management Committee for the Global Agricultural Business. He has global experience in these areas and dozens of successfully implemented transactions. After leaving Monsanto, his work as a consultant has largely been focused on biotechnology start-ups, mergers, capitalization and licensing, where he brings expert negotiating skills and advice for his clients.
William holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a Ph.D. and M.A. in Biology from The University of California and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Plant Biochemistry at Michigan State University.
