Joe Piechura

About Joe Piechura

I’m a biotech leader at the intersection of molecular biology, genome engineering, and computational genomics, with 10+ years of experience delivering high-impact R&D programs. At Ginkgo Bioworks, I’ve led multi-disciplinary teams, developed scalable NGS pipelines, and executed genome-scale redesign programs—driving milestones exceeding $10M.I bring a unique combination of wet-lab biology, bioinformatics, and software development expertise, enabling me to translate complex science into structured, tractable plans. As the originating technical lead for a whole-genome engineering program, I directed efforts across functional genomics, NGS analysis, molecular method development, and software/database design—establishing an integrated genome engineering pipeline that supports target discovery, variant prioritization, and rapid troubleshooting.I’ve excelled as both an individual contributor and a team leader, delegating work across disciplines, mentoring scientists and engineers, and sustaining high engagement. I’m eager to connect with others advancing next-generation therapeutics through integrated genomics and molecular biology.

Experience

1. Associate Technical Director

   Ginkgo Bioworks

   Mar 2023 — Present · Boston, MA, US

   Led 8–10 scientist cross-functional team (managing 4 directly) to overcome key genome engineering bottlenecks in synthetic yeast, restoring transformation success rates from ~75% to >90% across 95 genome regions-Directed integrated functional genomics workflows to map lineage-specific fitness defects at transformation attempts—reducing root-cause diagnosis time by 70% and adopted across three R&D teams-Built structured experimental planning and issue-tracking systems, aligning 100+ concurrent experiments across multidisciplinary teams.

Education

• University of Wisconsin-Madison

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Biochemistry

  2007 — 2011

• Harvard University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  2011 — 2017