Dr Kelly Matzen is Oxitec’s Chief Technology Officer. Kelly is responsible for the R&D division that produces and tests Oxitec’s genetically modified insects, delivering new products into the commercial pipeline. Her team develops both the underlying genetics and engineering solutions required to scale insect production.  She is also responsible for managing Oxitec’s global operations, which includes insect manufacturing and quality in the UK, US and Brazil. 

Kelly has been with Oxitec nine years, during which time she has held a range of leadership roles throughout Oxitec’s R&D and operations divisions, giving her a unique perspective and ability to drive the business forward.  She was a key member of the team that brought the OX513A mosquito technology to scale in the world-first GM mosquito factory in Piracicaba, Brazil. More recently, Kelly has led the development of Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti product, bringing it to commercial approval in Brazil and field pilots in the US.  Earlier in her career at Oxitec, Kelly served as technical lead during the genesis of a key collaborative partnership in agriculture and remains responsible for establishing scale production of those insects.

Kelly’s background is in the technical development of genetically modified insects, which began during her PhD program at the California Institute of Technology where she earned her doctorate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics is 2012. She earned her BS in chemistry at Boston College in 2005.  She has published peer reviewed articles and is a named inventor on Oxitec patents.  Kelly lives in Oxford with her husband and twin girls.