Oxford Nanopore at PAG 33

Aaron Pomerantz is the Director of Global Segment Marketing at Oxford Nanopore Technologies, where he focuses on Infectious Disease, Microbiology, Biopharma, and AgBio markets.

He earned his PhD in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley, specializing in next-generation sequencing, genome editing, and bioimaging techniques in non-model organisms. He became a National Geographic Explorer in 2014 to establish the use of portable scientific instruments, such as origami microscopes, 3D-printed centrifuges, and handheld DNA sequencers for biodiversity research in the Amazon rainforest.

With over a decade of NGS experience, he is passionate about driving development and awareness of innovative genomic solutions in the life sciences market.

Sergey received his PhD in computer science in 2012 under the supervision of Mihai Pop at the University of Maryland. He joined the National Bioforensics Analysis Center in 2011 and was appointed as an associate principal investigator in 2014. During this time, he pioneered the use of single-molecule sequencing for the reconstruction of complete genomes. In 2015, he joined the National Human Genome Research Institute as a founding member of the Genome Informatics Section. His research focuses on the efficient analysis of large-scale genomic datasets and new methods for metagenomic analysis and assembly of high-noise single-molecule sequencing data. His work has allowed the study of previously invisible human genomic regions, corrected errors in the current reference, and led to the first truly complete human genomic sequence. Dr. Koren’s work continues to build on this success so that complete and accurate genomes become routine.

I am the Genomic Product Director at Sailgene Technology Co. Limited, specializing in Oxford Nanopore sequencing. I focus on ONT-only genome assemblies, including T2T and haplotype-resolved genomes, and on optimizing workflows for complex and challenging samples, enabling high-quality assemblies and integrative analyses across diverse species.

Alex Zaccaron is originally from Brazil, where he earned his BS and MS in Computer Science. He completed his PhD in Integrative Genetics and Genomics at UC Davis in 2024. Alex is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Weisberg and LeBoldus labs in the Botany and Plant Pathology department at Oregon State University. His research focuses on comparative genomics and transcriptomics of fungal plant pathogens, with an emphasis on understanding how these organisms evolve to overcome host resistance.

I am Chair of the Chilean 1,000 Genomes Initiative, a national effort affiliated with the Earth BioGenome Project and ERGA to sequence reference genomes of native Chilean eukaryotic species. I am an Associate Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Deputy Director of the Center for Genome Regulation (CGR), and Principal Investigator at the Millennium Institute for Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE). My research has significantly advanced knowledge in evolutionary biology, population genetics, and adaptive genomics, with a particular focus on wild vertebrates, including birds and reptiles. I have over 15 years of experience studying seabirds in Antarctica, generating novel hypotheses and findings related to biodiversity, phylogeography, species adaptation, and cryptic speciation. My work is reflected in over 80 high-impact publications, and I have mentored more than 50 students’ theses. I am deeply committed to knowledge transfer, public engagement and promote gender equality.