Amanda Burkardt, M.I.T., M.B.A., M.Sc.

Amanda Burkardt, M.I.T., M.B.A., M.Sc., has over 15 years of experience commercializing technology, consulting and scientific research both domestically and internationally. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science and her master’s degree in molecular biology from Oklahoma State University, where she focused on developing alternatives to antibiotics. From there, Ms. Burkardt spun off a company based on her master’s research in parallel to earning a master’s of business administration and a master’s of information technology from Oklahoma University.   

Through these experiences, Ms. Burkardt formed a consulting firm that advised investors, scientists, entrepreneurs, universities and large corporations on evaluating technologies for start-up opportunities, as well as developmental, partnership and commercialization strategies. She has worked with clients around the world, from multinational Fortune 500 companies to investor groups and governments. She frequently is involved in industry-wide speaker series, judging panels, newsletters, articles, podcasts, webinars and reports.   

At PHIOGEN, Ms. Burkardt leads the company’s commercialization efforts to fulfill its mission of creating next-generation phage solutions for humanity’s most deadly bacterial infections. 

About PHIOGEN INC.

The Science: The development of bacteriophage products to combat life-threatening and multi-drug-resistant bacterial infections: 

• Phage cocktails attack multi-drug resistant bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant bacteria) through multiple mechanisms and can evolve to anticipate resistance. 
• Built on over 10 years of research from TAILΦR and Dr. Anthony Maresso Labs, the formation of PHIOGEN was completed in January 2023. Baylor has committed $1.5 million in funding to support operationalizing this candidate company, including recruitment of company leadership. 
• PHIOGEN developed the world’s first high-throughput phage technology platform that discovers novel phages and trains them to overcome resistance, resulting in next-generation, high-performing antibacterial products. 
• The team consists of the world-renowned scientists and clinicians who have streamlined their phage development program in which phages have been used to successfully treat over 25 Food and Drug Administration-approved emergency use cases in patients with critical and life-threatening antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. 

Social Proof: Out of 670 companies and 45 finalists, PHIOGEN has been selected as the most diverse and inclusive company to attend the 16th annual SXSW Pitch 2024 competition, presented by KPMG. It was quite the honor and we brought home a trophy and $1,000 check. We are very proud of the recognition and it reflects in our dynamic team. Read the news blurb here. The competition was fierce but we are happy to report PHIOGEN outcompeted ALL 45 finalists in 9 categories for our diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) efforts.

Announcing the Winners of 2024 SXSW Pitch Competition

Our dynamic team, founders, and advisors are represented with half including the CEO being female, 3 members of our team being green card holders and 2 who are first generation immigrants. We have several ethnicities represented in our company such as Indian, African American, Portuguese, Korean, Hispanic, and Moroccan. In addition, our lead indication affects primarily women and is an unmet need in women’s health, a historically overlooked and underfunded area of research and medicine.

We are honored to be recognized as the most diverse and inclusive team from the nation’s most diverse city! Click here to learn more about SXSW Pitch.

STAT Madness: Baylor’s work on wastewater surveillance research by Drs. Anthony Maresso, Joe Petrosino and other Baylor investigators was voted the top research project in the nation 2024 STAT Madness Competition, a bracket-style tournament to find the best innovation in science and medicine.