Shiru is excited to announce that Edward Sukarto has joined the Shiru Strain Engineering team as a Lab Technician.
In this role, Edward will operate the strain build component of our Flourish™ platform and improve it over time.
“Edward will play a critical role in various strain developmental projects,” said Swati Choudhary, Head of Strain Engineering. “Edward’s experience in molecular biology, and his long-time interests in plant-based foods and sustainability, make this a fantastic opportunity for Edward and Shiru to grow together.”
Edward received his BS in molecular and cellular biology from the University of California, Merced in 2021. During his studies he worked as an undergraduate assistant in both the Hernday and Nobile labs, where he studied the opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida albicans through genetic engineering. After graduating, he joined the Dillin lab at UC Berkeley as a research technician studying the relationship between the unfolded protein response and stress/aging in the transparent nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. He executed a lot of worm strain engineering and cloning to extend the lifespan of C. elegans. At Shiru, he looks forward to strain engineering, optimizing protein production efficiency, and supporting lab operations.
“I am really excited to be joining Shiru!” said Edward. “Plant-based foods and sustainability are things I have held important to myself and it is awesome to be joining a team with similar missions. On top of an incredible team, I hold really high standards for extraordinary company culture, values, and work-life balance. Shiru definitely delivers on that. I can’t wait to see and help Shiru grow!“

Outside of the lab, Edward is out hiking, listening to music, napping, and playing with his dog, Callie.