Karl Kiser

Curriculum Vitae

Summary

Builds controlled biological systems — turning experimental biology into manufacturable processes. Co-inventor on aerial-mycelium cultivation IP and first author on peer-reviewed research. Designs and builds custom sensors and closed-loop control, develops cultivation processes, and transfers them to partner facilities in the U.S., Canada, and the Netherlands — taking direct control of partner lines during start-up and bringing material to commercial spec. Earlier, first-author quantitative-MRI research. A strong translator between lab experimentation, model-based analysis, and reliable production.

Experience

Senior Scientist, Research Engineer

Ecovative Design — Green Island, NY

2022 – 2026

  • Co-inventor on patent application covering growth media compositions and environmental conditions for improved aerial mycelium cultivation
  • Process development for aerial mycelium production including media optimization, environmental programming, and growth condition tuning
  • Designed and built novel sensors for closed-loop system control — programming microcontrollers, wiring custom hardware, and integrating real-time sensing into the cultivation environment
  • Contributed to cultivation platform supporting 25 real-time environmental conditions and AI-model-informed process decisions
  • Deployed on-site to domestic and international partner facilities (Netherlands, Canada, Pennsylvania) to transfer cultivation process, control systems, and operations training — often assuming direct control of partner lines during start-up and troubleshooting
  • Led conversion of a partner site from agaricus mushroom production to full mycelium production within a year; built data pipelines integrating partner operations into internal models and brought material to commercial spec

Research Associate

Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Health & Weill Cornell Medical College — New York, NY

2019 – 2022

  • First-author publications in Scientific Reports and Tomography on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI methods
  • Designed and executed quantitative experiments on tumor treatment response using active contrast-encoding MRI
  • Developed methods for cellular water exchange measurement, pharmacokinetic parameter estimation, and image texture analysis
  • Presented research at ISMRM (International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine) annual meetings

Skills

Biomaterials & Cultivation

Aerial mycelium cultivation Fungal growth optimization Media design Substrate optimization Environmental programming Controlled-environment experimentation Pilot-scale process development

Quantitative & Analytical

Experimental design (DOE) Statistical analysis Pharmacokinetic modeling Image texture analysis Data-driven process optimization Reproducibility analysis

Instrumentation & Controls

Sensor development Microcontroller programming Hardware integration Closed-loop control Embedded systems Real-time data acquisition

Research & Communication

Scientific writing Peer-reviewed publication Patent documentation Conference presentation Cross-functional collaboration Technical translation

Education

Pitzer College — Claremont, CA

B.A. in Biophysics

2016