Cambridge, MA — October 29, 2025 — Via Scientific, Inc. today announced the appointment of Stephen Turner, PhD, as Computational Genomics and Data Science Advisor. Dr. Turner brings deep expertise in data science, bioinformatics, and computational genomics, with a focus on how artificial intelligence can accelerate progress in human health and biosecurity. He will help guide the growth of Via Foundry, Via Scientific’s flagship platform for scalable, reproducible, and collaborative data analysis that makes advanced computation more accessible to researchers.
Academic and Industry Leadership
Dr. Turner is Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Research at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science, where he leads efforts at the interface of biology, computation, and data-driven discovery. He previously founded and directed UVA’s Bioinformatics Core, establishing a trusted center for genomics and data science support.
In industry, Dr. Turner has held leadership roles at Signature Science, Form Bio, and Colossal Biosciences, most recently as Head of Genomics Strategy. His work spans human health, biosecurity, synthetic biology, species restoration, and the development of bioinformatics platforms that, like Via Foundry, integrate data science and automation to accelerate discovery. He has also served as a computational biology consultant to multiple U.S. federal agencies, applying his expertise to national security, defense, and public health.
Welcomed by Via Scientific Leadership
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stephen to the Via Scientific advisory team,” said Jim Crowley, CEO of Via Scientific. “His leadership in computational genomics, bioinformatics engineering, and data science will help further cement Foundry as the single pane of glass where multi-omics, bioinformatic intelligence, AI, and the global body of scientific context converge with compute to radically accelerate discovery."
A Distinguished Career in Data Science
Dr. Turner earned his PhD in Human Genetics and MS in Applied Statistics from Vanderbilt University. He is a Registered Patent Agent with the USPTO and a Project Management Professional (PMP), blending scientific expertise with operational precision, ensuring that advanced computational methods can move smoothly from research concepts into usable tools that empower scientists worldwide. His career has emphasized both advancing computational methods and making powerful tools accessible to researchers worldwide, including founding UVA’s Bioinformatics Core, a trusted resource for biomedical research, and building scalable genomics platforms at Form Bio and Colossal Biosciences.
Excitement for the Road Ahead
"What excites me about Via Foundry is that it comes from the same place my own career started - building bioinformatics cores that enable researchers to turn complex data into discovery,” said Dr. Turner. “I’ve spent much of my career making powerful computational tools more usable and scalable for scientists, and I’m looking forward to helping shape how Foundry bridges AI and genomics to make these capabilities even more accessible.”
For more on Dr. Turner’s work, visit his blog at https://blog.stephenturner.us.
