Dr. Tiffany Vora—scientist, entrepreneur, and VP of Innovation Partnerships at Explore Mars—will deliver a plenary talk at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California.
Her talk, “Harnessing Synthetic Biology on Mars,” will explore how cutting-edge advances in biology, engineering, and manufacturing can support long-term human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet. Drawing on the work of the Explore Mars Synthetic Biology Working Group, Dr. Vora will outline how synthetic biology can enable on-demand production of food, medicine, and materials—boosting sustainability, reducing launch mass, and transforming how we live and thrive off Earth.
Dr. Vora holds undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry from NYU and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Princeton, where her work was funded by NASA. She has led biology and health-related research in Mars simulations at MDRS and FMARS and previously served as a professor at the American University in Cairo, an Instructor in Bioengineering at Stanford University, and Faculty Director at Singularity University. Currently, she also serves as a Singularity Fellow in Biotechnology, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center, and a regular contributor to EY’s Executive Learning Programs.
With a career spanning academia, space simulations, biotech innovation, and global policy advising, Dr. Vora brings a unique systems-level view of how synthetic biology can help shape a resilient future for Mars—and deliver critical tools for humanity on Earth as well.
To attend her talk and the full convention, please register now at marssociety.org.
