Station 41 Team Members
Carpenter joined Southern Research in 2021. Prior to joining the organization, Carpenter served as director of innovation and economic opportunity for the City of Birmingham, where he led the city’s efforts in talent development, COVID-19 recovery and business expansion. Previously, he served as the director of external affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham…
As Head of Growth Strategy for Southern Research, Lexie manages strategic projects that foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth in the Deep South. She joined Southern Research in 2022 as the organization’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to that, she served as the Strategic Projects and Economic Development Lead at Ed Farm, a non-profit partner…
Erik Schwiebert, PhD, leads Station 41’s Accelerator program. He is focused on new early-stage, mid-stage, and later stage therapeutics discovery and development projects identified within Southern Research and its allied institution, the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Erik holds a PhD in cell biology and physiology in health and disease from Dartmouth College’s Medical School…
As a Program Manager for Station 41, Luke identifies, shapes, and prioritizes objectives for the Station 41 Venture Studio and Therapeutics Fund including end-to-end workplans, evaluation of commercial opportunities, and operational and stakeholder management for each program. Luke leverages his data analysis expertise to identify and evaluate high-potential commercial opportunities for the Station 41 portfolio….
Joe Villalobos is a seasoned Laboratory Operations Manager with over a decade of experience. Currently serving as the Lab Manager at Station 41 Incubator, holds a microbiology degree from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and a project management certificate from the Project Management Institute (PMI). His professional journey began at Focus Diagnostics Clinical Trials (now Q2…
Trey Melazzo is the Program Manager at Station 41’s Therapeutics Accelerator and its shared IP protection policy and strategy with UAB. A native to Birmingham, he leverages his background in biomedical science and pharmacy to advance innovation and commercialization in bioscience. Trey holds a BS in Biomedical Science from Auburn University and a Doctor of…
Gaurav did his Chemical Engineering degree from Mumbai, India and holds a Master’s in Biotechnology Degree from Northeastern University in Boston. During his Master’s program, he gained valuable experience as a Strategy and Business Development Co-op Associate at Senda Biosciences, part of Flagship Pioneering. At Station 41, Gaurav oversees Business Operations, Finance, and Business Development…