Jonathan Thon M.D., Ph.D.
Biotech Research Advisor
Platelet BioGenesis is a Harvard University spinout that is making human platelets from stem cells. They have developed and patented a microfluidic bioreactor, and shown that functional platelets can be generated from human pluripotent stem cell cultures. By removing the volunteer donor, Dr. Thon and his team can make platelets that are cheaper, safer, and available on demand.
Prior to founding Platelet BioGenesis, Jonathan was an Assistant Professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where he retains an academic affiliation. His research focuses on developing bio-mimetic microfluidic platforms for cell culture and functional platelet production.
During his postdoctoral fellowship at
Brigham and Women’s Hospital and
Harvard Medical School, Thon studied
how specialized cells in the bone marrow
called megakaryocytes produce platelets—
long a focus of his mentor Joseph Italiano.