As vice president of research and development (R&D) at Amyris, LEAP Alumnus Jeff Ubersax has been advancing the company’s scientific leadership in genome and protein engineering by combining advances in automation, biology and computing. He is the R&D representative on the collaborations development team where he plays a key role in translating how Amyris’s technology platform can both impact potential collaborators’ businesses and make the world a better place. Prior to this role, he led the high-throughput screening group where he helped build the automation and computational tools the group now depends on, including driving the development of platforms and methods to rapidly engineer yeast and other microbes.