Our team consists of highly skilled researchers and executives who have brought an array of experience and knowledge to the company, having worked for organisations such as Roche, OncoSil Medical Limited, Wellcome Diagnostics, The Garvan Institute, Applied Biosystems and Sigma-Aldrich, amongst others.
Maria Halasz
Chief Executive Officer
Maria Halasz, MBA, BSc, GAICD, is an accomplished life sciences senior executive with two decades of experience in commercialising innovative healthcare and biotechnology products internationally. She has led listed and private companies through early development, scale-up and global expansion, building value through disciplined strategy and capital management.
As Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASX-listed Anagenics Limited, Maria led the commercialisation of the company’s FGF5 inhibitor technology and its core midkine biotechnology program, expanding operations across Australia, Japan, Europe and China. She successfully executed multiple capital raisings, cross-border acquisitions and strategic transactions, strengthening the balance sheet and positioning the company for growth.
As Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASX-listed Anagenics Limited, Maria led the commercialisation of the company’s FGF5 inhibitor technology and its core midkine biotechnology program, expanding operations across Australia, Japan, Europe and China. She successfully executed multiple capital raisings, cross-border acquisitions and strategic transactions, strengthening the balance sheet and positioning the company for growth.
Earlier in her career, Maria was corporate finance director at BBY Limited, originating IPOs and private placements, and worked in specialist corporate advisory and investment management roles focused on innovative healthcare companies.
Recognised for her international professional network and governance expertise, Maria has a track record in building high-performing, multidisciplinary teams and fostering strong relationships with investors, regulators, research institutions and industry partners. Her leadership is defined by commercial discipline, global perspective and a consistent focus on sustainable shareholder value creation.
Susanne Pedersen, Ph.D
Chief Technology Officer
Susanne Pedersen holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and brings over 25 years of experience in oncology and molecular diagnostics. With 13 years leading clinical trial studies from concept to completion, she has a proven track record in building and managing high-performance R&D and clinical teams. As a co-founder and Vice President of Science & Innovation at Clinical Genomics Pty, Susanne was instrumental in the discovery, validation, and commercialization of COLVERA, Australia's first CLIA-accredited liquid biopsy test for colorectal cancer. Her expertise spans R&D leadership, international clinical trial management, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and the successful interface between clinical research, production, marketing, and sales.
Rebecca Abbatantuono
Chief People Officer
Rebecca Abbatantuono leads Genetic Signatures' People and Culture division with 18 years+ of experience across diverse sectors spanning IT, manufacturing, retail, mining, and oil and gas industries. Since joining in August 2021, she has passionately driven numerous strategic and operational initiatives to enable employee potential and performance. With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Macquarie University, Sydney, she leverages her understanding of human behaviour to cultivate a positive workplace culture conducive to organizational success and employee well-being.