Veterinary diagnostics company, MI:RNA, has appointed Dr Claudia Cavalluzzo as its new chief operating officer.
Cavalluzzo, a scientist with a background in medicinal chemistry, trained in her native Italy and later in Belgium, where she completed her PhD alongside a stint as a visiting scholar at the University of Edinburgh.
She then spent three years as a senior scientist at DestiNA Genomics, where she first gained exposure to microRNA biomarkers, which underpin MI:RNA’s veterinary technology.
Following her executive leadership training at Babson College, US,and her work with Entrepreneurial Scotland, Cavalluzzo became deputy director and later executive director at Converge, Scotland’s national launch platform for university entrepreneurs, where she remained for almost seven years.
Having joined the board of MI:RNA in May 2023, Cavalluzzo now brings her combined strategic and business knowledge and scientific background to her new role as chief operating officer, the company said.
‘Extensive experience’
Founder and chief executive of MI:RNA Diagnostics, Dr Eve Hanks, said: “Claudia is set to bring not only extensive experience but also a people-focussed, forward-thinking outlook to her new role as chief operating officer.
“Her core principles closely align with our ethos as MI:RNA, and we’re looking forward to Claudia becoming embedded in her role and supporting the business as it grows from a Scottish start up to a global tech company.”
Cavalluzzo said: “This is a unique opportunity to transfer the knowledge I’ve gained in many years as a researcher into the context of a fast growing business.
“The team at MI:RNA are dedicated to expanding and enhancing the scientific knowledge which forms the bedrock of the business, and I’m looking forward to supporting them as they develop and evolve.
“It’s particularly exciting to be joining a female-led business which is poised to achieve great things in the months and years to come.”
