iOrganBio Appoints AI and Life Sciences Investor Jessica Owens to Board of Directors
iOrganBio has appointed Jessica Owens, a seasoned venture investor and co-founder of GRAIL, to its board to help scale its AI-driven cell manufacturing platform.
iOrganBio, a Chapel Hill-based innovator in intelligent cell manufacturing, announced today the appointment of Jessica Owens to its Board of Directors. Owens brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of life sciences, health technology, and artificial intelligence, having co-founded GRAIL, a company that raised over $1 billion and formed partnerships with Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson. She also serves as co-founder and General Partner at Initiate Ventures.
The appointment comes as iOrganBio looks to scale its CellForge platform, an AI-powered system for consistent and scalable production of human cells and organoids. The company believes Owens' counsel will be invaluable as it expands partnerships and advances AI-driven cell manufacturing to improve predictability and scalability from model development to cell therapies.
CellForge uses AI and automation to guide cell development and make real-time adjustments aligned with defined biological profiles. At the core of the platform is iOrganBio's functional human CellAtlas, a comprehensive reference built from single-cell and multi-omics data that provides digital blueprints for each cell type. This closed-loop process aims to deliver accuracy, efficiency, and quality for applications in disease modeling, regenerative medicine, and drug development.
Owens' background in building and scaling companies, particularly in the life sciences and AI sectors, positions her to help iOrganBio navigate the challenges of bringing advanced cell manufacturing technologies to market. The company is based at BioLabs in Chapel Hill, NC, and focuses on FDA-aligned New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for research and therapeutic applications.
"We are thrilled to welcome Jessica to our board," said a representative from iOrganBio. "Her experience in company building and her deep understanding of the intersection of AI and life sciences will be instrumental as we continue to grow and innovate." For more information, visit iOrgan.Bio.