Our Team
Graham Taylor, PhD.
Founder & President
Dr. Taylor earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Tennessee (2007, 2014, 2016, respectively). He has 15 years of experience in Quality, Product Development, and Project Management in the medical device and pharmaceutical sector. Dr. Taylor is positioning Helix Biotech to be a premier global pre-clinical and clinical stage development and manufacturing firm for pharmaceutical companies working with LNP and other nanoparticle-based therapeutics and vaccines.
Chase Strike
Manager, Business Development & Sales
Chase Strike is originally from Athens, Tennessee. He has a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a master’s degree in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to his time at Helix, Chase spent several years in management and the customer service industry.
Michael Nguyen, PhD.
Project Manager, Scientific Specialist
Dr. Nguyen was a PhD. graduate from the University of Windsor's Chemistry & Biochemistry program. His area of focus was on the biophysical analysis of liposomal and oil formulations using small angle neutron and X-ray scattering and in silico techniques. He has also visited and conducted research in some of the world's largest national laboratories: NIST (USA), ORNL (USA), ANSTO (AUS) and the CNL (CAN).
Ryan Markewicz
Scientific Specialist
Ryan Markewicz earned his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Tennessee in 2017. He has 6 years of experience in Quality Control, Manufacturing, and Analysis in the healthcare and biotechnology sectors. Ryan is passionate about advancing science and technology and making a positive impact on the world with nanoparticles.
Canaan Pratt
Scientific Specialist
Canaan Pratt, a Knoxville native, went to school at the University of Tennessee where he studied and earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology, as well as Microbiology. During this time, he participated in many music activities, such as marching band. Canaan is passionate about the science behind genetics and the genome, and he loves being able to apply this area of interest when working with lipid nanoparticles.
Elizabeth Klavon
Lead QC Lab Technician
Originally from North Carolina, Elizabeth moved to Knoxville in 2017 to study Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee. She went on to earn her master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, as well, studying the electrical properties of cell lipid membranes and how artificial membranes can be integrated with thin film transistors for biosensing capabilities.
Trevor Mathews
Office Administrator
Trevor Mathews is an experienced office administrator who has been working with Dr. Taylor since 2017. He is a detail-oriented and organized professional who has a talent for managing the day-to-day operations of the office. His ability to multitask and prioritize tasks ensures that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Haden Scott, PhD.
Lead Manufacturing Associate
Dr. Scott earned his B.S. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2013 and 2018, respectively). Following his Ph.D., Dr. Scott held two different Post-Doctoral Research Associate positions at the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Lab. He has 10 years of experience in the research sector studying the function of synthetic phospholipid membranes, including both their structural and dynamic properties as well as their interactions with small peptides.
Jarod Richardson
Lead Automation Engineer
Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Jarod earned his bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee in 2017. After earning his degree, Jarod studied Molten Salt Reactors and pursued advanced coding systems before joining Helix as an Automation Engineer.
