About Us
enLIGHTtened BioManufacturing – delivering your complex biologics with unmatched productivity and quality
We advance biologics development and manufacturing through optogenetics-enabled cell line and biomanufacturing solutions delivering breakthrough yields, superior on-target quality, and precise process control even for the most complex biologics.
Prolific’s next-generation bioprocessing platform brings dynamic, tunable control of protein expression into standard manufacturing infrastructure by combining optogenetics-enabled cell lines, illumination systems compatible with current bioreactors, AI-driven process optimization, and advanced analytics.
By enabling direct, real-time control of expression, Prolificdelivers step-change improvements in productivity, quality, and scalability across conventional biologics and tomorrow’s complex biologics pipeline. The platform is designed to be portable across pharma and CDMO facilities and supports programs from early development toward scalable, low-COGS manufacturing, with flexible service and licensing models designed to accelerate timelines and key program milestones.
Our Story
Prolific Machines was founded in 2020 on the premise that light is the best way to control biology, using optogenetics to control gene expression in biomanufacturing. Scalability & compatibility have been central to our approach from the very beginning.
Today, Prolific is the first to integrate optogenetic cell line development, plug‑and‑play illumination systems, and data‑driven process optimization into industrialized solutions for therapeutics production. Together, these technologies introduce controllability into protein expression, enabling improved productivity, more consistent product quality, and more predictable manufacturing performance.
Rather than optimizing around biological constraints by trading off productivity, growth rate, or quality, we give you direct control over the cells.
Our Team
Prolific brings together a highly talented team of scientists and engineers with diverse backgrounds in synthetic biology, cell line development, bioprocess development, automation, physics and biotechnology platform development.
Our team members have previously contributed to the development and manufacturing of biologic therapies at leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Our team’s experience shapes our approach: novel technologies must not only demonstrate strong biological performance, but also integrate seamlessly into real manufacturing environments.
Building optogenetic biomanufacturing requires collaboration across disciplines. At Prolific, biologists, engineers, and data scientists work together to develop systems that connect biological regulation with modern bioprocess control.
Prolific co-founders Max Huisman, CTO, Deniz Kent, CEO, and Declan Jones, CIO
Erik Riley Chief Financial Officer (Interim)
Alex Toda, BS
Senior Director, Technical Operations
Christelle Dagoneau, PhD Chief Business Officer (Interim)
Deniz Kent, PhD
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
George Hosegood, BS
Vice President, Operations & Strategy
Lily Paloma, MBA, PHR
Head of People
Max Huisman, PhD
Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder
Victor Jones, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Vidar van der Meijdan, MS
Vice President, Product
Our Vision & Mission
Our mission is to enable the next generation of biologic medicines by transforming how they are manufactured.
We believe the future of biologics manufacturing will be defined by control. By making gene expression dynamically controllable, we enable optimization of growth and production phases independently, tuning cellular pathways that influence product quality, and adapt processes in real time.
Prolific understands that for a revolutionary technology to be adopted, it must be evolutionary in how it is deployed.
Crucially, Prolific understands that for a revolutionary technology to be adopted, it must be evolutionary in how it is deployed.
Careers
While optogenetics may be our secret sauce, it’s the team behind it that turns the technology into real-world manufacturing solutions.
Our team is motivated by a clear objective: enabling therapies that are currently limited by manufacturing challenges to reach patients. Achieving this requires scientific curiosity, teamwork, strong engineering discipline, and a commitment to building technologies that work in real industrial settings.
We are always looking for people who are excited about building new systems in biotechnology. Whether your expertise lies in molecular biology, process engineering, automation, or software development, joining Prolific means contributing to technologies that aim to reshape the foundations of how we produce some of our most powerful therapies.
Competitive cash compensation
Generous equity package
Spot performance bonuses
Retirement plan with company contribution
Flexible PTO with healthy time off minimums
Company-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance
Life and disability insurance
Career coaching
Mental health support
Free team lunches, everyday
Great snacks!
We put our values into action with exciting opportunities to come together around shared interests.
Daily team lunch
Prolific Initiatives Committee (PIC)
Women’s Inclusive Network (WIN)
Chess Club
Monthly Happy Hours
Science Journal Club
Spirit’s Club
Prolific is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’re committed to providing a workplace where team members feel safe, can be their authentic selves, and expect their unique contributions and perspectives to be heard, valued, and respected. Prolific was built on the idea of building a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow. We empower team members to advance our company culture through team member-led initiatives and our active DE&I efforts. We believe that together we will grow and thrive.