Luke Witt

Luke Witt

Lab Automation Engineer & Consultant

Emeryville, California

Background

I'm a lab automation leader with 10+ years of experience designing, scaling, and leading automation platforms across biotech R&D and manufacturing.

I've spent my career embedded in labs of all sizes, ranging from early-stage startups to established pharma, where I've built cross-functional teams and deployed complex automated workflows to accelerate drug discovery and manufacturing.

Whether your lab is just getting started with automation, or you're looking to bring an established platform to the next level, I can help.

Technical skills

Instruments

Hamilton STAR/VantageOpentrons OT-2/FlexTecan EvoBeckman Biomek

Software & Languages

PythonC#C++GitAWSPlatformIOLIMS integration

Platforms & Tools

Green Button GoGeneraMomentumPyLabRobot

Microcontrollers

ArduinoRaspberry PiESP32

Domains

NGSDNA purificationProtein expressionCell cultureSample management

Experience

2026–Present
Founder, Principal Consultant
Tellurion Automation

Helping labs achieve their automation goals. Whether it's building foundational automation infrastructure or modernizing your platform, Tellurion Automation can help bring your next automation project from concept to complete.

2022–2026
Director, Lab Automation
Ansa Biotechnologies

Established the company's first automation platform, enabling commercially viable manufacturing capable of fulfilling hundreds of orders per week. Deployed 50+ automated workflows, built AWS-based instrument management suite, and authored custom Python packages for cross-platform method development.

2021–2022
Automation Engineer
Moderna

Scripted and deployed automation protocols for high-throughput programs using Hamilton STAR and Vantage liquid handlers. Contributed to the DARPA mobile vaccine manufacturing program, including system integration and scheduling via Green Button Go.

2021
Scientist, Automated Protein Production
Merck

Optimized high-throughput protein expression and purification using integrated systems including Tecan Freedom Evo, Hamilton liquid handlers, and a six-axis Staubli TX2 robotic arm. Led process optimization using Design of Experiments.

2017–2021
Senior Associate Scientist
Cue Biopharma

Introduced automation into protein purification workflows, alleviating production bottlenecks and enabling an eight-fold expansion in screening capacity. Programmed AKTA chromatography systems and validated multiple automated instruments.

Education
B.S. Biochemistry (High Honors)
Eckerd College

Graduated with High Honors in Biochemistry. Prior research at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School in neurogenetics.