Mark Kotter

Mark Kotter (born in 1971) is a neurosurgeon, biologist, and entrepreneur.

Kotter made contributions to the importance of macrophages for brain regeneration, His work on cell programming includes the development of opti-ox (optimized inducible overexpression). It has become the scientific basis of bit.bio, and Meatable, which he co-founded. Kotter's scientific contributions to the field of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) range from the diagnosis to the aetiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of DCM.

Kotter is the founder and CEO of cell coding company bit.bio, which is devoted to "democratising human cells" and cell therapy. Additionally, he co-founded Meatable, a company focused on cultured meat production, and is the scientific founder of clock.bio, a rejuvenation company. He also co-founded Myelopathy.org, a charity supporting individuals with degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Early life and education
Kotter was born in Canada and raised in Austria, Germany, and Australia. He studied medicine in Graz and earned a PhD in stem cell biology from the University of Cambridge. He completed postgraduate medical training in Berlin and Vienna and later led a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine. In 2009, he returned to Cambridge to complete his neurosurgery residency and joined the Stem Cell Institute as a principal investigator. Following sub-specialist training in complex spinal neurosurgery at the University of Toronto with Michael Fehlings, he established his neurosurgery practice and research laboratory at the University of Cambridge's Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

Research
Kotter was among the first to recognise the role of macrophages in brain regeneration, a discovery that led to the first regenerative medicine trial for Degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Over the past decade, he has developed opti-ox, a gene targeting approach that enables the faithful execution of genetic information in cells. His discoveries refute the theory that stochastically determined permissive states are required for cellular reprogramming and have opened up the possibility of producing any human cell, within days, at purities approaching 100%. Inspired by Marius Wernig 's and Thomas Südhof's work, he focussed on applying a synthetic biology approach and developed a protocol for reprogramming pluripotent stem cells into oligodendrocytes. In 2012, he succeeded in creating a batch of oligodendrocytes. He and his colleagues ultimately found a way to circumvent the gene silencing, by introducing the genetic instructions into "safe harbors" in the genome. Their patented technique is known as opti-ox, which stands for "optimised inducible over-expression ".

Other activities
In 2016, Kotter founded it as Elpis Biomed, the company's name later changed to bit.bio to give a clearer indication of its function in cell coding: "bit" refers to the smallest building block in coding, while "bio" refers to the live cells that are being reprogrammed. bit.bio leverages the opti-ox technology to program human cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The company aims to transition biology into engineering, addressing significant medical needs. Notable board members include Hermann Hauser and Sir Gregory Winter, with Dr. Roger Pedersen serving as the chief scientific advisor. In 2023, bit.bio partnered with BlueRock Therapeutics, a Bayer subsidiary, to develop regulatory T cell therapies.

In 2015, Kotter co-founded Myelopathy.org with neurosurgeon Ben Davies and patient Iwan Sadler. The charity is dedicated to supporting individuals with Degenerative cervical myelopathy by enhancing patient advocacy and clinical practices. Myelopathy.org received the Points of Light Award from the British Prime Minister in February 2020. Dr. Kotter is also a member of the AOSpine Knowledge Forum Spinal Cord Injury and leads several international initiatives, including the RECODE-DCM project.

In 2018, Kotter co-founded Meatable with Daan Luining. The company develops cultured meat using porcine and bovine pluripotent stem cells, addressing environmental concerns associated with traditional agriculture.

Kotter launched clock.bio in 2023, a rejuvenation company that aims to extend and improve quality of life by reversing the harmful effects of time in our cells, harnessing the regenerative capabilities of human pluripotent stem cells. The company is founded on the insight that hiPSCs can be force-aged to display the hallmarks of ageing. This triggers self-rejuvenation mechanisms which can be interrogated for the identification of gene candidates that are causally relevant for cell rejuvenation. Comprehensive genome-wide CRISPR screens result in a comprehensive 'atlas of rejuvenation genes'.

Awards

 * 2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards: Equity-Backed Entrepreneur of the Year and Purpose Entrepreneur of the Year – East of England
 * 2022 European Mediscience Awards, Emerging Star
 * 2022 EY East of England  Entrepreneur of the Year
 * 2022 bit.bio Biotech of the year and CEO of the Year awards at Cambridge Independent Awards