Meet Our Conference Speakers
The CBB will host its 33rd Annual Conference on October 17, 2026, featuring five professional speakers and three graduate student speakers. The conference will also include a poster session, where students, faculty, and researchers will have the opportunity to showcase their work and engage in discussions about their research. Registration is now open. We can't wait to see you there!
Michael Collingwood
Michael is a Senior Manager of Gene Writing and Editing Product Development based in Coralville, Iowa. He leads cross-functional teams focused on developing innovative products and solutions that address customer and business needs. His interests include product innovation, technology development, leadership, and fostering collaboration to drive successful outcomes.
Kevin Moore
Kevin Moore is Chief Executive Officer of the NSF RuralSTAMINA Biomanufacturing Engine in Iowa and Nebraska, where he works at the intersection of research, industry, and economic development to accelerate commercialization and strengthen the nation's advanced biomanufacturing ecosystem. Previously Chief Technology Officer for Biobased Products at Iowa State University, Moore brings more than 30 years of executive experience in biobased products and renewable chemicals, including leadership roles at Archer Daniels Midland and Trucent Inc, a privately held engineering services and technology company. He has led the commercialization of multiple biobased technologies, including award-winning green chemistry innovations and bioplastics manufacturing. Moore has served as a technical advisor and board member for numerous early-stage biotechnology companies. Moore holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from MIT.
Balaji Narasimhan
Balaji Narasimhan is an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering and holds the Vlasta Klima Balloun Faculty Chair in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU). He has been at ISU since 2001 before which he was on the faculty of the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at Rutgers University. He served as Associate Dean of Research in the ISU College of Engineering from 2007 to 2013 and oversaw record growths in the college’s research portfolio and doctoral degree production. Currently, he directs the Nanovaccine Institute, an interdisciplinary consortium of 87 researchers from 27 universities, national laboratories, research institutes, companies, and hospitals that is focused on the design and development of next generation vaccines and therapeutics. He is a co-founder of a startup called ImmunoNanoMed Inc.
Zoe Kramin
Zoe Kramin is a PhD candidate in the Civil & Environmental Engineering department under the mentorship of Dr. Craig Just, in association with the Wastewater to Energy Program and IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering. Her research focuses on advancing anaerobic digestion and wastewater treatment through molecular biology, machine learning, and real-time monitoring technologies.
Sarah Jordan
Sarah is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under the mentorship of Dr. Todd Washington. She earned her BS in Biochemistry and BA in Biology from Grand View University in 2022. Her research investigates DNA damage bypass by non-classical DNA polymerase η, with projects focused on understanding the kinetic effects of protein-protein interactions and the mechanistic basis of bypass across 8-oxo-Guanine. Through this work, she seeks to better understand DNA damage bypass pathways and their role in genome maintenance.