Stephen Ekker

Stephen Ekker serves as the inaugural Director of the Center for Rare Diseases at Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, while also holding the position of Associate Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Associate VP of Research Translation at the same institution. With a strong focus on translating science from the bench to business and bedside, Stephen is the founder of Primera Therapeutics, which specializes in gene editing therapeutics, and Lifengine Technologies, aimed at making genome sciences accessible. Additionally, Stephen is a member of the Management Board and strategic partner with Forjazul, a company focused on genetics-powered agriculture. As a founding president of the Genome Writers Guild and co-founder of InSciEd Out Foundation, Stephen has made significant contributions to the fields of molecular biology and genetics. With extensive academic experience as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota and editor in chief of Zebrafish Journal, Stephen holds a Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University and dual bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Genetics and Developmental Biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.