Chia Hong Tsai

Chia-Hong Tsai has a diverse work experience spanning over 15 years. They began their career as a Second Lieutenant in the Army in Coast Guard, Republic of China, Taiwan in 2005. After completing their military service, they worked as a Lab Manager/Research Assistant at the Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, where they contributed to the study of plant-microbe interaction and helped in establishing a new lab.

In 2009, Tsai joined the Department of Energy-Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State University as a Graduate Assistant. During their tenure, they made significant contributions to the field of microalgae research by discovering a transcription factor and its role in biomass production. They also conducted proteomics research on lipid droplets, leading to multiple first-author publications.

In 2015, Tsai became part of the Amyris team as a Scientist, Metabolic Engineering. They served as a Project Lead for a high-valued nutraceutical molecule and Biology Group Lead for a natural sweetener molecule. Additionally, they co-invented three patent applications during their time at Amyris.

Currently, Tsai holds the position of Chief Technology Officer at Bota Biosciences, where they have been since 2020. Their work at Bota Biosciences focuses on sustainable biomanufacturing, and the company recently secured $100 million in Series B financing.

Throughout their career, Tsai has demonstrated expertise in various scientific disciplines, including molecular biology, metabolic engineering, and proteomics. They have published in prestigious journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, The Plant Journal, and The Plant Physiology.

Chia-Hong Tsai received their Bachelor's Degree in Life Science from National Taiwan University from 2001 to 2005. Chia-Hong then pursued further education and completed their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Plant Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Michigan State University between 2009 and 2014. In 2019, they obtained a certificate in BioTech Delft Advanced Course, Microbial Physiology and Fermentation Technology from Delft University of Technology.