Boonsom (Boon) Uranukul joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from Terra Oleo in Singapore where he serves as Chief Technology Officer. Boon is a synthetic biologist and metabolic engineer with expertise in yeast lipid engineering with R&D experience across biotech startups and public research. He is leading the development of Terra Oleo’s precision fermentation platform, designing and reprogramming diverse lipid-producing yeasts to produce sustainable lipid alternatives that help decarbonize palm oil and cocoa butter supply chains.

Terra Oleo focuses on producing customizable, high-value lipid ingredients within these fats and oils supply chains, using genetically engineered yeasts and low-cost waste feedstocks. This approach addresses both the environmental footprint and supply chain challenges of tropical oils by enabling scalable, carbon-reduced biomanufacturing. The Breakthrough Energy Fellows program will support the Terra Oleo team in scaling the technology to pilot production and generating prototype samples for formulation testing and market validation.

Outside of the lab, Boon enjoys long-distance running, obstacle races, and traveling. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.