Katarina Midelfort

Katarina Midelfort has a diverse range of work experience spanning various roles and industries. Katarina started their career as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Duke University Medical Center, where they focused on enzyme engineering. Katarina then moved on to Pfizer Global Research and Development as a Principle Scientist, specializing in enzyme engineering for industrial processes. Following that, they worked as an Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where they managed and advised senior design projects and taught various biomolecular engineering and chemistry courses.

Katarina also has experience in the private sector, having worked at Avoca Inc as a Fermentation Scientist II, where they specialized in process fermentation scale-up and tech transfer. Katarina later joined Evolva Group as an R&D Project Leader and Senior Fermentation Engineer, where they developed bioprocesses for high-value products and managed a team of research assistants.

In 2018, Katarina joined DSM as a Senior Engineer and later became a Principal Engineer. In this role, they were involved in manufacturing support, process development, and technology transfer for biotech processes. Katarina also gained expertise in project management, Six Sigma, and technical safety.

Additionally, Katarina has co-founded and co-owned Midwest Mulberry, a company that provides sustainable mulberry supply and processing solutions. Katarina has also been an advisor/consultant at Enepret.

Throughout their career, Katarina has received recognition and awards for their work, including winning pitch competitions and placing in various categories at state fairs.

Overall, Katarina Midelfort has demonstrated their expertise in enzyme engineering, bioprocess development, and project management across academia, industry, and entrepreneurship.

Katarina Midelfort holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering-Molecular and Systems Pharmacology and Toxicology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which they completed between 2000 and 2004. Prior to that, they obtained an M.S. in Biophysics and Computational Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 1996 to 1999. Katarina also holds a B.S. in Chemistry/Computer Science Track from Carnegie Mellon University, earned between 1990 and 1994. Katarina recently completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at the University of Kentucky in 2022. Additionally, Katarina obtained a Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) certification from ASQ - World Headquarters.