Lucas Huntimer | CSO
Genvax Technologies

  Lucas is a seasoned expert in animal health, immunobiology, and veterinary pharmaceutical innovation, with a proven track record of driving R&D initiatives and delivering impactful solutions for both companion and food animals. Throughout his career, he has held key leadership roles at forward-thinking companies such as Novartis Animal Health, Elanco Animal Health, Rumin8, and Genvax Technologies. His contributions span the development of groundbreaking biologicals, pharmaceuticals, feed additives, and next-generation vaccines. Lucas began his career at Novartis Animal Health, gaining hands-on experience in R&D, Quality Control, and Manufacturing. As a Senior Scientist and Project Leader, he played a critical role in advancing novel products by de-risking early-stage proof-of-concept technologies and transitioning them into full-scale development. He ensured compliance through requalification testing and provided innovative tools to veterinarians and producers to improve animal welfare. Following Novartis' acquisition by Elanco Animal Health, Lucas continued to contribute as a key leader in strategic pipeline evaluation. His work significantly advanced Elanco's global pipeline, providing essential products for both companion and food animal markets. He built a reputation for balancing scientific rigor with business acumen, ensuring that cutting-edge technologies were developed with real-world applications in mind. Lucas lead R&D efforts at Rumin8, where he focused on sustainable feed additives designed to improve livestock performance and reduce methane emissions thus shaping the future of sustainable agriculture by providing innovative, eco-friendly solutions to global livestock producers. Currently, Lucas plays a pivotal role at Genvax Technologies, where he drives vaccine development using advanced immunobiological approaches to address emerging infectious diseases. His leadership at Genvax is focused on developing precision animal health technologies to enhance animal health. A passionate advocate for animal health innovation, Lucas is committed to bridging the gap between research and practical solutions. He excels in forming strategic partnerships, evaluating new technologies, and bringing novel products to market to meet the needs of veterinarians, producers, and pet owners. Lucas holds a Ph.D. in Immunobiology and a B.S. in Biology and Microbiology. He resides in the greater Indianapolis area with his wife, daughter, son, two dogs, and cat.