MARNIE PETERSON
Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Perfectus Biomed Group, Inventor and Entrepreneur
Marnie Peterson is the Chief Scientific Officer and US Managing Director of Perfectus BioMed, a global biosciences company based in Jackson, WY. Marnie and her team provide boutique and customized research services to help companies develop their technologies, refine their intellectual property, and bring new solutions and improved health to individuals and society.
“When people ask me when I became interested in science, it’s almost as if I can’t remember, it goes back so far. Growing up on the farm and seeing animals born and unfortunately die of illness and disease, you get really connected to the life cycle. The underpinning of it all is biology, chemistry, and all things science.”
Listen to Marnie’s story.
“I just love science! I absolutely love it.” Marnie Peterson exclaims. “It’s the undercurrent of all that we are and all that we do, so I get so excited and fascinated by it.” As the Chief Scientific Officer and US Managing Director of Perfectus BioMed, a global biosciences company based in Jackson, WY, Marnie and her team provide boutique and customized research services for pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. Through their research, they help companies develop their technologies, refine their intellectual property, and bring new solutions and improved health to individuals and society.
Growing up on a rural farm in Iowa, science and nature were intertwined. Marnie witnessed the life cycle taking care of the animals on the farm and learned about biology and chemistry through agricultural processes like crop cycles and soil health. Her father helped her grow bacteria on Petri dishes for the local science fair, and she credits her mother, who worked as an X-ray technician, for exposing her to human health. All of these early life imprints, along with her natural acumen for STEM classes, set a strong foundation for Marnie to thrive as a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur.
Marnie began her career in pharmacology and worked as a pharmacist at a teaching hospital for seven years. Then, a life-changing opportunity to study the healthcare system in Thailand launched her strong interest in infectious diseases and global health. Marnie deepened this expertise, along with her research on antibiotic resistance, working with an expert in the UK to gain international experience. After meeting her husband, Marnie returned to the U.S. where she led a major research lab at the University of Minnesota (UofMN). There she invented several patents for her discoveries, conducted research for the National Institute of Health and Department of Defense (among others), and educated the next generation of scientists. When she became a mother, she and her husband wanted a major lifestyle change and saw an opportunity for greater creativity and flexibility in the mountains of Wyoming. She left her tenured position in academia, worked with the University of Wyoming to transfer her research, and officially launched her Jackson Hole-based laboratory in 2016.
A pioneer in conscious science, Marnie and her team conduct all of their research on nonlive animal tissue. Practicing what she calls “farm to bench,” pig tissue is sourced from a local farmer that would have otherwise been discarded after the hog is butchered for human consumption (no pigs are sacrificed specifically for her research). This technique vastly reduces live animal studies and helps make clinical trials more successful because human and pig tissue are so similar (i.e. First pig-to-human heart transplant: what can scientists learn?).
Marnie has been developing this nonlive animal approach to drug development and discovery for over 20 years and is a leader in this niche style of research. It matters to Marnie that she and her team execute their science holistically whenever possible. This practice also helps local farmers utilize their entire hog and be more sustainable.
In June 2020, Marnie took another entrepreneurial leap and merged her company with Dr. Samantha Westgate, a UK-based scientist. Together, they are Perfectus BioMed, a global biosciences company based in Jackson, Wyoming and Daresbury, England. Marnie feels proud to reach people all around the globe thanks to the work their team is conducting in Wyoming while also creating more opportunities for science to stay in the Cowboy state.
Sharing her love for science with others is of utmost importance. Marnie is most inspired by the next generation and encourages anyone with an interest in science to visit her lab and conduct research with her team.
An expert in infectious disease and experimental therapeutics, Marnie has invented several patents for her discoveries, conducted research for the National Institute of Health and Department of Defense (among others), and educated the next generation of scientists. After becoming a mother, she and her husband wanted a lifestyle change and saw opportunities in Wyoming. She left her tenured position in academia at the University of Minnesota and launched her Jackson Hole-based laboratory in 2016.
“Conscious science is an approach to how we execute. One way is through our development of nonlive animal alternatives to study treatments for infectious diseases. I call this ‘farm to bench’ because these nonlive alternatives come from pig tissue that would normally be discarded. This helps local farmers utilize their entire hog and be more sustainable. Whether it’s the environment, animals, humans, the soil, the water — we’re all connected.”
A pioneer in conscious science, Marnie and her team conduct all of their research on nonlive animal tissue. Practicing what she calls “farm to bench,” pig tissue is sourced from a local farmer that would have otherwise been discarded after the hog is butchered for human consumption (no pigs are sacrificed specifically for her research).
This technique vastly reduces live animal studies and helps make clinical trials more successful because human and pig tissue are so similar. This practice also helps local farmers utilize their entire hog and be more sustainable. Marnie has been developing this nonlive animal approach to drug development and discovery for over 20 years and is a leader in this niche style of research.
“I just love science. It’s the undercurrent of all that we are and all that we do. And I love having young people come in, learn and watch their lives and career paths progress and seeing their impact. ”
Marnie is most inspired by the next generation and encourages anyone with an interest in science to visit her lab and conduct research with her team.
