Synthetic biologist translating fundamental research into commercial products. PhD research on platform technologies for cross-kingdom genetic engineering, exploring what makes biology programmable at scale. Increasingly focused on the intersection of AI and biological risk — understanding how advances in synthetic biology reshape biosecurity.
In my free time, I'm (unsurprisingly) passionate about food culture, including baking, gardening, winemaking, and serving as a Good Food Awards Judge.
Education
Ph.D., Food Science & Technology
Cornell University
Expected Dec 2026
B.A., Biology; Minor: Environmental Science
Middlebury College
Publications
- Evaluating cellular roles and phenotypes associated with trehalose degradation genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics (2024)View
- The Sensorial and Chemical Changes in Beer Brewed with Yeast Genetically Modified to Release Polyfunctional Thiols from Malt and Hops, Fermentation (2022)View
Patents
- Methods and compositions for reduced-ethanol in fermented beverages (2025, Invention Disclosure) — Stadulis, S.E.; Gibney, P.A.
- Grape Stilbenes for Improved Gut Function and Health (2024, Provisional) — Tako, E.; Agarwal, N.; Stadulis, S.E.; et al.
- Methods and compositions for gamma-decalactone biosynthesis in fermented beverages (2022, WIPO) — Li, Denby, Roop, Harris, StadulisView
Selected Projects
Engineered and characterized 60+ Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains for novel fermented products, bioprotection, and waste valorization; commercialized 5 of 8 products across wine and maple syrup industries.
Collaborated with MIT MechE to develop a high-throughput microfluidic electroporation device for genetic engineering applications, reducing transformation time by 75%.
Published research evaluating cellular roles and phenotypes of trehalose degradation genes in yeast, contributing to metabolic engineering strategies.
Work Experience
Leadership & Teaching
- Co-Instructor, Applied Food Microbiology, Cornell University (2025)
- Founder, Data Science for Food Technology Systems Group (2024)
- Conference Organizer, Northeast Regional Yeast Meeting (2023)
- Research Mentor, Gibney Lab, Cornell University (2022–2025)
- Research Mentor, Berkeley Yeast (2019–2022)
Awards & Honors
- ASM Future Leaders Mentorship Fellow (2025–)
- Cornell University Fellowship (2025)
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention (2024)
- SynBioBeta Conference Travel Award from Ginkgo Bioworks ($2,700, 2022)
Industry Engagement
- USDA National Needs Fellowship Program (2024–)
Technical Skills
- Genetic Engineering
- CRISPR/Cas9, plasmid design, electroporation, microfluidic transformation
- Microbial Systems
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae, non-conventional yeasts, lactic acid bacteria
- Quantitative Biology & AI
- growth phenotyping, high-throughput screening, statistical modeling (R, Python), ML for biological design
- Analytical Technology
- GC-MS, HPLC, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy
- Translation & Product Dev
- pilot-scale fermentation, sensory evaluation, regulatory strategy
Connect
Feel free to contact me at ses438@cornell.edu