Stories of Flagship Pioneers

Biotech Surfer

Nick Plugis

Senior Principal

I pioneer to dream about and discover medical possibilities.

Nick Plugis is a Senior Principal at Flagship Pioneering, where he transforms bold scientific ideas into groundbreaking companies. He pioneers new company origination by developing bioplatforms and thrives in an environment that reimagines the future of science. His work has helped launch and scale innovative Flagship companies such as Ring Therapeutics, Sail, Ampersand, Abiologics, and Cellarity, where he also served as Chief Innovation Officer.

Flagship provides an opportunity to remove the fiction from science fiction and turn it into something real. As a scientist, it’s just so much fun.

As a child, Nick and his brother were so eager to explore nature and science that they transformed their bedroom into a personal lab, which became a haven for experiments. Whether by altering the chemistry of a penny or viewing unseen worlds through a microscope, Nick’s childhood lab nurtured a fascination for the “magic of science” and his imagination for scientific discovery grew stronger.

While Nick always had a love for science, a pivotal moment solidified his commitment to discover ways to use science to benefit others. During college he became severely ill with a rare disease. The frightening experience led him to question everything, and after months of searching for answers, modern medicine saved his life. This transformative experience inspired him to dedicate himself to ensuring others have access to life-changing breakthroughs like those that saved him.

New science that is able to really have an impact on patients, to improve their lives in profound ways, is always my goal.

Driven by this purpose, Nick earned a PhD at Stanford, immersing himself in biology, translational science, and the University’s entrepreneurial spirit. This blend of disciplines eventually drew him to Flagship Pioneering and its unique environment where bold scientific ideas become companies and where he could learn directly from seasoned innovators, entrepreneurs, and scientists.

Nick’s pioneering spirit isn’t limited to the office or lab. He is an avid surfer and likens the thrill of surfing to pioneering science—both requiring courage and ability to ride uncertainty towards the next wave of discovery. Inspired by history’s great pioneers like Galileo, Da Vinci, and Thomas Edison, he believes that true pioneers do more than advance science; they reshape the future. Now raising a family of his own with his wife, Elise, Nick envisions a world where his work helps ensure life-saving innovations are the norm for future generations.

I'm amazed by the breakthroughs emerging from scientific teams uniting nature's wisdom with the power of computation. It's inspiring to be part of this renaissance of discovery and innovation.

Imagination Agent

Lakshmi Nair

Senior Machine Learning Scientist, Pioneering Intelligence

I pioneer because it’s challenging and gives me a very unique opportunity to push the boundaries of machine learning and my own knowledge while helping to make a positive impact on the world.

As a Senior Machine Learning Scientist on Flagship’s Pioneering Intelligence Technology Team, Lakshmi Nair is focused on machine learning methods to advance AI's creativity and enabling systems to solve complex problems autonomously, paving the way for more adaptive, intelligent AI that supports scientific discovery and breakthroughs.

During her PhD research, the exploration of an uncharted area of robotics — creative problem-solving — inspired Lakshmi’s passion for AI. Robots are typically assumed to have all the tools they need, but she challenged this assumption, asking, "What if a robot doesn’t have the tools it needs? How can it improvise?" This research demonstrated that robots could repurpose objects in their environment, a concept that opened a new frontier in robotics. This experience reinforced her curiosity for solving big problems.

Lakshmi’s work at Flagship may also have profound applications, particularly in therapeutic development, drug discovery, and protein synthesis. Her work focuses on designing AI agents that can analyze vast scientific literature, generate hypotheses, and automate research, increasing efficiency and accelerating breakthroughs. Beyond healthcare, her AI models could transform fields from autonomous research and development to scientific decision-making, expanding the possibilities of AI-driven innovation.

I connect with the idea of multi-potentiality — embracing multiple creative pursuits rather than confining yourself to one field. When you narrow your focus, you limit your capacity for breakthroughs.

Lakshmi’s pioneering role model is the concept of multi-potentiality, a celebration of individuals with diverse interests, intellectual pursuits, and interlocking potentials. She discovered this idea in Emilie Wapnick’s TED Talk and immediately resonated with its message and her interdisciplinary scientific approach that bridges fields like cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and physics to redefine how AI can think creatively.

For Lakshmi, pioneering isn’t just about advancing AI, it’s about inspiring others to think broadly and differently. She hopes her work encourages future scientists to push boundaries, ask bold questions, and tap into their own creativity to develop impactful technology.

I try to be as creative as I can in my own work, and I hope that it will inspire others to also tap into their creativity as they develop impactful technology and let their imagination show through.

Risk Weaver

Hozefa Bandukwala

Vice President and Science Partner

I pioneer because I have faith. With the talent, vision and courage we have at Flagship, a simple thought drives me: “If not us, then who?

Hozefa Bandukwala is a Vice President, Science Partner at Flagship Pioneering, where he explores ideas and founds new companies. One of his key accomplishments is co-founding Prologue Medicines, where he is the founding Chief Scientific Officer. In this role, he leads efforts to create transformative medicines by discovering and evaluating viral proteins and their unique features.

Hozefa’s passion for science began during his undergraduate studies in India when he came across an article in Scientific American about missile-like drug delivery systems — now known as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). The ingenuity of leveraging the immune system for therapeutic purposes fascinated him. Until then, he had considered a medical career, but this moment shifted his path toward scientific pioneering.

While completing his Ph.D., Hozefa took a bold risk in his research on receptor-ligand interactions and pursued a hypothesis that defied conventional views. For four years, his data supported his idea — until one critical experiment disproved his theory. Though a devastating setback, instead of giving up, Hozefa reinterpreted his valid observations, leading to a breakthrough in allergy and asthma research that earned an article in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Ultimately, he learned the importance of taking risks and that failure is a step toward discovery.

It's not how many times you fail, it's how many times you get back up.

This mindset led him to Pfizer during a critical time for immune-related disease research. While most therapeutic research focused on targeting immune cells, he proposed a non-conventional approach of targeting their energy sources by studying metabolic pathways; a concept initially met with some valid concerns about the novelty of this approach. Hozefa learned that overcoming resistance to change demands the ability to bring people along, unite diverse perspectives, and address concerns. His skill in rallying support was pivotal in driving Pfizer to invest in pioneering in the nascent field of immunometabolism which later grew to become an entire academic movement.

Hozefa sees equitable access as the next critical frontier in healthcare, a disparity he would like to tackle and make a lasting change. While medicine has advanced from treatment to cures and prevention, access to transformative therapies remains limited, benefiting only a portion of the population. He believes that pioneering bold, innovative science and risk-taking will be essential in making this a reality.

You cannot do transformational things by doing the same thing over and over again. If you have to make that kind of impact, you have to really do something different. You have to take that risk.

Polydisciplinarian

Ayşe Muñiz

Principal

I pioneer to build a more hopeful future. And because it’s fun!

Ayşe Muñiz joined Flagship Pioneering in 2020 after completing the Flagship Pioneering Fellowship. She initially focused on helping Pioneering Medicines establish its exploration team to seed ideas for its pipeline. She is now a Principal originating companies and leading a startup that applies AI to provide insights into mental wellbeing. She is also integrating AI into Pioneering Medicines and uniting teams to enhance therapeutic innovation.

Ayşe’s passion for science was influenced by experiencing the personal impact of societal problems, including physical and mental health struggles in her family. In college, she was fortunate to receive scholarships and fellowships that allowed her to work in research settings. One of her first research experiences was at the University of New Mexico, where she worked on nanotechnology for nucleic acid delivery — a project that resulted in her first patent and cemented her career path in science and innovation.

I refuse to stay in a lane. I really rejoice in being an interdisciplinary thinker.

Her background in biochemistry and tissue engineering, combined with collaborations with chemical engineers, materials scientists, and clinicians, has given her a 360-degree perspective on problem solving. She takes an interdisciplinary approach to innovation, asking how an engineer, scientist, business strategist, or even an artist would tackle any given challenge. At Flagship, her efforts across diverse fields reinforce her belief that blending perspectives fuels creativity and fosters collaboration.

Ayşe takes pride in mentoring Flagship fellows and associates, many of whom have excelled in their own careers. Yet, she believes her greatest achievement is still ahead and hopes her journey inspires others, particularly young women. As a first-generation college student from a rural area, she demonstrates that no dream is out of reach.

Belief is kind of the currency for reality, and your conviction is what's going to drive the motivation and inspire a team to join and do the work.

Among the pioneers who inspire her, two stand out: Marie Curie, the two-time Nobel Laureate who revolutionized our understanding of radioactivity, and her grandmother, an immigrant from Istanbul who built a life in the U.S. as a single mother running a beauty business and whose resilience instilled in Ayşe a deep belief in perseverance and possibility.

Outside of work, Ayşe channels her creativity into poetry, sculpting, and painting — activities that offer space for reflection and renewal. Drawn to philosophical texts that challenge her thinking, she continually broadens her perspective.

Whether through art or innovation, her journey — from personal challenges to pioneering AI-driven healthcare — embodies resilience, ambition, and enduring curiosity, that is shaping a more hopeful future.

The best way to apply my life is to put all of my energy into something and have that something be worthwhile.

Resource Diviner

Nathan Hancock

Operating Partner

I pioneer because I believe that by challenging the status quo and forging new paths, we can build a future of resource abundance for generations to come.

Nathan Hancock is an Operating Partner at Flagship Pioneering, where he originates innovative companies focused on resource security and generation and advances in materials science. Among other activities, he leads a start-up focused on re-envisioning how we access freshwater using biotechnology to proactively address water scarcity; enhance agricultural resilience; support disaster preparedness such as wildfire prevention and response; and reduce reliance on conventional water sources.

Nathan’s drive to create transformative change was forged early in life. His ancestors were pioneers of Colorado's gold rush, and he spent his earliest years in an abandoned mining town in Gilpin County — a landscape marked by generations of resource extraction and environmental damage so severe that the community lacked fresh drinking water. When Nathan was in elementary school, his family moved to a location that, while improved, was situated on the outskirts of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site with lingering impacts from toxic mining. These formative challenges instilled a relentless desire to venture into uncertain territory and seek opportunities to create abundance and prosperity.

My backyard growing up was an acid mine drainage field where we played football, rode our bikes, and routinely waded through a soup of exotic algae and who knows what else.

Despite growing up with limited resources and few academic role models, Nathan’s determination and intellect opened many educational opportunities. He pursued technical education at the Colorado School of Mines, earning a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering, with a focus on materials and process technology for water purification and resource efficiency — disciplines addressing the challenges he experienced growing up.

While completing his Ph.D., Nathan was recruited by Oasys Water, a Flagship Pioneering-backed company in Boston tackling water scarcity. Nathan’s work leading R&D at Oasys honed his technical skills and rapidly broadened his professional capabilities as well as perspective on the skills needed to translate innovations into successful commercial enterprises. This work led him to Harvard Business School where he received his MBA.

These diverse life, educational, and career experiences positioned Nathan well for his current role at Flagship, where he and his team explore daring ideas to find innovative, scalable solutions for pressing issues in energy, resources, the environment, and human health.

I'm confident that bold innovation will unlock the keys to securing the resources to feed, power, and enrich lives globally.

Nathan uses his journey from a small mining town to addressing humanity’s most critical challenges to inspire. Having once lacked mentors and support, he now guides young innovators in the field. And as an avid explorer and mountaineer, whose professional, humanitarian, and personal travels have taken him around the world, it’s not surprising that his pioneering role model is the Sherpa.

What the Sherpa does—cutting into the unknown, setting direction, guiding others through uncertainty, risk, and challenge — is quintessential to what it means to pioneer.

People Accelerator

Tyler Durham

Senior Vice President, Head of Leadership & Development

I pioneer because I believe in the power of bold vision and the commitment to make it real. Whether in business or in life, I’m driven by the challenge of transforming what seems impossible into something truly impactful.

Tyler Durham is Senior Vice President, Head of Leadership & Development for Flagship Pioneering, where he is responsible for shaping leadership development, talent management, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and enhancing employee experiences to drive engagement and performance. In this role, he focuses on helping individuals, teams, and organizations unlock their full potential to pioneer and drive groundbreaking innovation.

Tyler’s belief in the power of determination, collaboration, and leadership was forged early in his career as an officer in the U.S. Army. It was reinforced during his nearly two decades in management consulting followed by in-house leadership roles focusing on talent development and shaping high-performing organizations.

In the Army, Tyler completed Ranger School, an elite military training program that pushed him beyond his perceived limits and showed him firsthand what people are capable of under extreme conditions. He later played a role in a NATO-led mission in Bosnia to stabilize the region helping to end a civil war, repatriate displaced citizens, and support democratic elections. Working alongside organizations like the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, he witnessed the power of collaboration, resilience, and ambition.

This experience deepened his belief in the ability of people to drive extraordinary change, even in the most challenging circumstances. Now at Flagship, he applies these principles to foster a culture where individuals and teams can thrive, ensuring they have support to push beyond what seems possible.

I've always been drawn to challenges that require selfless service. I want to keep growing, keep learning, and keep doing something that makes an impact.

Tyler’s passion for pioneering was inspired by his father, a North Carolina politician who came out as gay in 1979 and became a fierce advocate for healthcare access and dignity during the AIDS crisis. His father’s legacy of justice and advocacy continues to drive Tyler’s mission to create environments where people thrive. For Tyler, pioneering is also an act of service and a commitment to creating a better future. As a father of two young daughters, he is driven to build a world where they have equal opportunities to achieve their dreams.

Even in the darkest moments, the human spirit refuses to let setbacks dictate our destiny. We have the power to write our own story, a uniquely human skill, especially now as we are addressing the dawn of polyintelligence.

Paradigm Shifter

Alex Sneider

Principal

I pioneer to change the world, to achieve alongside incredible people, and to challenge myself intellectually.

Alex Sneider is a Principal at Flagship Pioneering, where she plays a multifaceted role in driving transformative scientific advancements. She creates and builds new companies while shaping the future of scientific exploration. As a founding team member of Flagship-founded Lila Sciences, Alex leads corporate development, forging partnerships and unlocking the company’s commercial potential. Lila is redefining scientific discovery by creating the world’s first scientific superintelligence platform and fully autonomous labs for life, chemical, and materials sciences.

Lila is an endless playground for scientific discovery. It represents a paradigm shift in how we approach problem-solving to tackle humanity's greatest challenges.

Alex’s journey to Flagship was one of reinvention and determination. She studied archaeology at Harvard, where her exploration of past civilizations sparked an appreciation for science’s ability to shape the future. This realization led her to pivot to technology recruiting. However, placing others in problem-solving roles wasn’t enough — she wanted to solve those problems herself.

Determined to pursue a more hands-on scientific career, Alex earned a second bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. A professor’s trust gave her early access to hands-on research, guiding her path and inspiring her passion for scientific discovery. This was followed by a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University in chemical and biomolecular engineering. During graduate school, an injury temporarily sidelined her from lab work. Undeterred, she taught herself to code and turned to AI and machine learning to finish her research.

A former athlete and Division I fencer, Alex is intentional about making time for hiking and other hobbies that keep her active but also provide space for reflection. "Sometimes, when you step away from a challenging question, the answers come more easily," she observes.

When asked about her pioneering role model, Alex points to the iconic movie character Indiana Jones — an archaeologist, academic and adventurer, whose courage, curiosity, and resourcefulness echo her own passion to transform and evolve scientific discovery in ways that solve humankind's most pressing challenges.

I want to change the world in a meaningful way. I hope the therapies and materials we discover at Lila bring positive benefits that pave the way for a brighter future.

Why I
Pioneer

Biotech Surfer

Biotech Surfer

Imagination Agent

Imagination Agent

Risk Weaver

Risk Weaver

Polydisciplinarian

Polydisciplinarian

Resource Diviner

Resource Diviner

People Accelerator

People Accelerator

Paradigm Shifter

Paradigm Shifter

Jobs at Flagship Pioneering and our companies

Why I Pioneer

Biotech Surfer

Imagination Agent

Risk Weaver

Polydisciplinarian

Resource Diviner

People Accelerator

Paradigm Shifter

Jobs at Flagship Pioneering and our companies

Why I
Pioneer