The Team

headshot of annette kleiser
Annette Kleiser
CEO
Annette has over 20 years of experience in business development, start-up formation, corporate strategy development and alliance management, both in university technology transfer and the biotechnology industry. She studied biology at the University of Konstanz and earned her PhD at the Ludwig Maximillian University in Munich. Annette loves the sounds of the Barking Geckos of the Kalahari! Her favorite book is A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami.
headshot of dalial freitak
Dalial Freitak
CSO
Dalial has over 15 years of experience in research with a specific focus on insect immunology and physiology. In addition to her current role as CSO, she holds an Assistant Professor position at the Karl Franzens University Graz, Institute of Biology. She studied biology (Zoology and Animal Ecology) at the University of Tartu and earned her PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Chemical Ecology in Jena. Her favorite book series is Discworld by Terry Pratchett. When time allows, she loves to travel for sights and food, as well as cook at home from her 150+ recipe books.
Franziska Dickel
Franziska Dickel
Director Scientific Operations
Franziska has a background in agricultural farming methods and biological pest control with over 10 years of experience in insect immunity and pesticide resistance. In addition to serving as Dalan’s Director for Scientific Operations, she also holds a postdoctoral research position at the Karl Franzens University Graz, Institute of Biology. She earned her PhD in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Jyväskylä. Franziska enjoys rock climbing, playing roller derby, and hanging out with her dog Frieda. Her favorite book is Perfume: The story of a Murderer (Das Parfum) by Patrick Süskind.
Henry Fan
Senior Director, Process Development and Analytics
Henry joined the team in December 2022 as Senior Director, Process Development and Analytics for Dalan. Henry has over 25 years of experience in veterinary vaccine product development. Previously, he worked for animal health companies such as Fort Dodge (now Zoetis), Merial (now Boehringer Ingelheim), and Elanco, to name a few. He holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the National Ping-Tung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, as well as a MS in virology from Auburn University and PhD in Medical Microbiology and Molecular Biology from the University of Georgia. In addition, he is certified in Six Sigma Green Belt. Henry loves watching football! His favorite book is Great by Choice by Jim Collins.
Ian Durie
Fermentation Scientist
Ian has worked in the lab for over 10 years developing antibodies and vaccines at institutions such as Boehringer Ingelheim, CDC, and UGA. He holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Biomanufacturing and Bioprocessing, and a PhD in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Georgia. In his free time, Ian enjoys playing tennis and squash, as well as spending time with his wife and their adorable dogs, Beau and Reggie. His favorite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
Adam Costello
Director, Commercial Operations North America
Adam brings 8 years of experience working with early-stage start-ups, from sustainable food systems to robotics manufacturing, to his role at Dalan. He holds a BA from Colgate University and a MS in Conservation Biology from NY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. In his free time, Adam enjoys gardening, running, coaching soccer, and managing his sideline honeybee nuc business. His favorite books are The Road by Cormac McCarthy and Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
Amy Floyd
Regional Manager, Beekeeper Relations
Amy manages beekeeper relations at Dalan. Previously, Amy spent 7 years with the USDA studying honeybee nutrition, microbiome, pathogens and toxin exposure. She holds a BS in Wildlife Conservation and Management and a MS in Entomology, both from the University of Arizona. Amy enjoys traveling the US in her self-converted camper van with her dog Miles and tending to her personal honeybee hives. Her favorite book is Nowhere for very long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life by Brianna Madia.  
Kary Stone
Controller
Kary is responsible for our accounting and payroll. She comes to Dalan with over 20 years of accounting experience, most recently working in biomedical manufacturing. Her passion is animal rescue! She has personally fostered to adoption over 500 dogs and cats both in Texas and California. Her favorite book is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Nichole Hoffman
Operations Manager
Nichole works in operations and marketing at Dalan. Previously, she worked in quality control for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. She holds a BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Boise State University. Nichole enjoys hiking, reading, and tending to her house plants in her free time.  Her current favorite book is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
Headshot of Lauren Wood
Lauren Wood
Outreach Coordinator
Lauren joined the team as Outreach Coordinator to cultivate relationships with beekeeping organizations and bee lovers across the globe for Dalan. She holds a BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Georgia and is a UGA College of Veterinary Medicine DVM Candidate 2025. She is currently a manager of the Bee Treatment Crew at UGA and has a personal love for beekeeping. She has previously worked for veterinary hospitals and zoos, including Athens very own Bear Hollow Zoo! She enjoys spending time with her dog and cat, movie marathons, reading, and going on adventures. Her favorite book series is Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.