Yizhaq

Engelberg

Ph.D.

MIT derived entrepreneur

“Imagine the piece as a set of disconnected events”

Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt,
“Oblique Strategies”

Where Science Meets Strategy — And Becomes Reality

Experienced leader across science, strategy, and operations in government, academia, and startups.

Expert in synthetic biology and biochemistry, turning complex ideas into products.

Driven by curiosity, technical rigor, and hands-on execution at the intersection of disciplines.

Who I Am

I’m Yizhaq Engelberg, Ph.D.: a scientist, entrepreneur, and strategist working at the intersection of synthetic biology, engineering, and applied innovation. I hold a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics and spent three years as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, where I led multidisciplinary teams developing engineered microbiota and bacterial biosensors for defense and environmental applications using cutting-edge synthetic biology approaches.

My work spans atomic-resolution structure discovery, genetic circuit design, and field deployment of living materials. I’ve secured competitive grants, published in leading journals, and thrive where science meets strategy, and business.

Before science, I spent over a decade in field operations and investigative roles where decisions carried real-world consequences; an experience that still shapes how I lead projects, assess risk, and build teams.

Career Timeline

2024 - present Entrepreneurship

Joined a stellar young biotech startup, where I took on broad responsibilities ranging from early-stage R&D, competitive landscape analysis to investor engagement and strategic planning. I then founded a venture, 2somaia, focusing on green, regulatory ease and a novel platform to tackle crop losses. Exciting milestones are on the horizon, stay tuned for updates.

2022 - 2025 Postdoctoral Research

As a postdoc at MIT, I transitioned into synthetic biology, developing high-throughput directed evolution methods for engineering genetic circuits in non-model bacteria. My work combined molecular design with systems-level thinking and addressed challenges in agriculture, biomanufacturing and defense.

2016 - 2022 Ph.D.

During my Ph.D. in protein engineering, I designed and synthesized peptide-based materials with tailored chemical conjugations, advancing our understanding of how structure drives function in biological systems. This work culminated in several first-author publications and laid the groundwork for functional biomaterials with therapeutic and industrial relevance.

Publication List

2007-2016 Governmental Service

With a multifaceted background in national service, I held leadership and investigative roles across military, law enforcement, and federal sectors. These experiences sharpened my operational decision-making, team coordination, and crisis management skills; allowing me to navigate high-pressure environments with discipline, discretion, and a mission-oriented mindset.