Cambridge-based Camena Bioscience, a synthetic biology company providing genes to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, has appointed Dr Nicola Thompson as its chair.

Thompson has experience of developing and commercialising innovative technologies and therapeutic modalities. She was the founding chief executive of Amphista Therapeutics and chair at Nanna Therapeutics. She also worked in senior leadership roles at Roche and in business development at GSK.

Camena Bioscience’s chief executive Dr Steve Harvey: “Nicola is a successful CEO and chair and a fantastic addition to the board. Camena Bioscience enables researchers to ‘write’ DNA with the same confidence and ease with which we can ‘read’ DNA. Our highly accurate DNA synthesis technology, called gSynth, provides access to gene sequences that scientists previously could not obtain. This accelerates our customers’ discovery timelines and allows them to produce potentially new therapeutics they previously couldn’t. With pharma’s increased focus and collective commitment to decarbonising health systems, Camena is leading the way with a green synthesis technology focused on reducing waste associated with traditional DNA synthesis methods. Our proposition is disrupting the existing DNA synthesis market.”

Thompson commented: “I am delighted to join the company as its chair at this pivotal stage of growth. The leadership team are recognised pioneers in the field and the existing board has an impressive array of investment and entrepreneurial experience, which will collectively support Camena on their scale-up journey. Camena has a uniquely differentiated technology to address the limitations of traditional DNA synthesis approaches and I’m looking forward to working with the team, executing on Camena’s mission to build the leading DNA synthesis company.”

Following its $10 million Series A financing earlier in the year, Camena Bioscience plans to expand commercialisation of gSynth.