Founded in 2024 in Lethbridge, Alberta, BeeSafe Biotech started as a passion project between three scientists who wanted to take their lab research beyond the bench.
Dr. Trushar Patel
CEO & Co-founder
Professor & Canada Research Chair, University of Lethbridge
Dr. Trushar Patel is a leading molecular biologist and biophysicist at the University of Lethbridge, where he serves as Professor and Canada Research Chair. His research specializes in understanding virus-host interactions at the molecular level, with a particular focus on RNA-binding proteins and their role in viral replication.
At BeeSafe Biotech, Dr. Patel brings his extensive expertise in molecular diagnostics and biophysical analysis to guide the development of rapid, accurate, and field-deployable detection kits for viruses that threaten honey bee populations. His academic and research leadership is instrumental in driving BeeSafe’s mission to protect pollinators and promote sustainable beekeeping through innovative biosensing technologies.
Dr. Patel’s work is widely published and internationally recognized, and he is deeply committed to translating fundamental research into real-world solutions that support environmental and agricultural health.
Jenna Letain, M.Sc.
COO & Co-founder
Jenna Letain holds a Master’s of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Lethbridge. Jenna’s passion for honey bees stems from her research in Dr. Patel’s laboratory, which focused on determining the interactions between honey bee viral noncoding RNA and host proteins.
Beyond research, Jenna is passionate about science communication, having attended many academic conferences and achieved first place in the University of Lethbridge’s Three Minute Thesis competition in 2024. She also has experience as a teaching assistant and mentor for the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge Highschool iGEM teams, helping to mentor and guide the next generation of innovators in synthetic biology.
Dr. Gunjan Vasudeva
CSO & Co-founder
Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Lethbridge
Dr. Gunjan Vasudeva is a post-doctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Medicinal Biophysics (Dr. Trushar Patel). She has a Ph.D. in Life Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India.
Dr. Vasudeva has a vast background in microbiology, biosensor development for poly-aromatic hydrocarbon detection in seawater and natural water resources, bioremediation-related projects, and computational biology. She has participated in entrepreneurship workshops and events, including Agility’s Trailblazing, SVG THRIVE Studio Sprint, and Lab2Market Validate.
