Deborah E Pascoe Australasian RNA Biology and Biotechnology Association 2026 Conference

Deborah E Pascoe

Deborah Pascoe, PhD, is SVP of CMC Development at Vaxxas, a Brisbane company commercialising a novel vaccine delivery technology to replace the needle and syringe. In this role Dr Pascoe is accountable for moving vaccine programs through development and manufacturing and into clinical studies. She previously worked in technical and business leadership roles at US startups focused on biology + automation, and she has company-founding experience along with earlier work at 23andMe and Genentech. She has also served in multiple board roles. Deborah has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University and a BE (Chem Hons) from the University of Queensland. Vaxxas is commercialising novel technology that enhances the performance of existing and next-generation vaccines. Combining a high-density microarray patch, novel technology to coat the vaccine, and a single-use applicator, the product delivers a small amount of vaccine to immune cells directly beneath the skin surface. This allows simple administration and may eliminate the need for refrigeration during storage and transport. Vaxxas’ work in mRNA includes a CEPI-funded thermostabilisation program that has demonstrated a year of vaccine stability at 2-8C and 25C and several months at 40C.