Celebrating women's innovation in life sciences
By Adriane Clark | This article originally appeared via NCBiotech's blog
North Carolina's life sciences ecosystem is thriving, thanks in no small part to the leadership and innovation of women shaping its future. From groundbreaking research in biotechnology to executive roles, women leaders across the state are driving advancements that make a global impact.
Their contributions span startups, research institutions, and large corporations, fueling economic growth and scientific progress. These women are not just participating—they are leading the charge.
In honor of Women's History Month, we celebrate trailblazing women-led companies and startups:
Humacyte
Laura Niklason, M.D., Ph.D., is the CEO and founder of Humacyte, which was established in 2004. Niklason founded and grew Humacyte alongside co-founders Juliana Blum, Ph.D., and Shannon Dahl, Ph.D., taking the biotechnology company and achieving a valuation of over $1 billion. Niklason continues to lead the company as CEO while founders Juliana Blum and Shannon Dahl have transitioned into executive roles at emerging startups.
In 2024, Durham-based Humacyte received marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its first product – a groundbreaking bioengineered blood vessel designed to be universally implantable.
The vessel, trademarked as SYMVESS, was approved for use in adults as a vascular conduit for extremity arterial injury when urgent revascularization is needed to avoid imminent limb loss, and when autologous vein graft is not feasible. The technology is technically called an acellular tissue engineered vessel (ATEV). It can be transported and stored in sterile packages, without complicated freezing or other handling procedures.
Following implantation, the bioengineered tissue is gradually reabsorbed by the recipient and replaced by the patient's own tissue. The technology is based on the founding team's research at Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In 2006, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center provided Humacyte a $150,000 Small Business Research Loan. The company subsequently raised nearly $480 million, including a $150 million equity investment from Fresenius Medical Care, the world's leading provider of products and services for patients with renal diseases and for surgical care centers. Humacyte became a publicly traded company in August 2021.
Lindy Biosciences
Deborah Bitterfield, Ph.D. is the founder and CEO of Morrisville-based Lindy Biosciences, a spinout of her research at Duke University. With over 10 years of experience in Pharma and Biotech, Deborah launched Lindy Biosciences in 2016 after joining Southeast TechInventures, an innovation lab that partners with university inventors to further develop promising university technologies.
In 2024, the company signed a $1B global licensing agreement with one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies — Novartis Pharma AG. The collaboration will focus on converting certain Novartis medicines into convenient, self-administered, subcutaneous injections using Lindy’s proprietary "microglassification" technology for drug delivery.
Lindy’s microglassification technology, conceived at Duke University and further developed by the company, is a novel dehydration method of converting therapeutic protein solutions into highly concentrated microbead powders suitable for long-term storage and transport. The powders can be mixed into suspensions for subcutaneous injection, allowing higher dosing of biologics in smaller volumes.
Currently, many biotherapeutics, especially monoclonal antibodies, must be given intravenously in a clinical setting, primarily because the high doses required can’t be formulated in volumes suitable for subcutaneous injection. Lindy’s technology allows self-administration of biotherapeutics at home using prefilled syringes or auto-injectors, potentially reducing healthcare costs while improving patient comfort, convenience and treatment compliance.
The North Carolina Biotechnology Center has provided three loans totaling $950,000 to support the company’s technology development. The first loan, a $200,000 award in 2017, helped position Lindy to raise venture capital.
Women-led Biotech Startups to Monitor in 2025
Doron Therapeutics
Alessandra Pavesio, CEO
Doron Therapeutics is a groundbreaking, women-led biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment landscape for osteoarthritis. Their innovative biologic drug, MOTYS™, harnesses the power of placental tissue to deliver a potent mix of anti-inflammatory, tissue-protective, and regenerative growth factors. Moreover, the company raised $11M and received a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. FDA for MOTYS™, including Fast Track designation. With Phase 3 trials on the horizon, Doron is poised to revolutionize joint health, helping millions regain mobility and quality of life. As a trailblazer in science and leadership, this company is one to watch by the public and investors alike.
Selsym Biotech
Seema Nandi, CE
Selsym Biotech is a female-founded company developing synthetic platelets for uncontrolled bleeding. The technology originated from the laboratory of Ashley Brown, Ph.D. at North Carolina State University and has received approximately $3 million in grants from the NIH since its founding in 2019. Their synthetic platelet product, SymClot, is an ultra-deformable hydrogel that rapidly homes to sites of bleeding via highly specific antibody fragments on its surface that allow it bind to fibrin and induce clot retraction. A new $2.75 million grant from the Department of Defense will allow Brown’s group at NCSU to continue to optimize the technology for use in treating traumatic injuries. The company expects to be ready to test their products in humans within a couple of years.
