Steven Theriault
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer of Cytophage Technologies Inc.
Dr. Steven Theriault is a versatile scientist, researcher, educator, and entrepreneur who began his career as a paramedic before turning his attention to biomedical research. He obtained his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Manitoba (UofM) focusing his studies on genetics, virology and molecular biology. During his doctoral studies, he made significant research contributions of the Zaire Ebola Virus, leading to the development of the Canadian Ebola vaccine. Since 2006, Dr. Theriault has been an Associate Professor in the Departments of Microbiology and Medical Microbiology at U of M, where he served as a lecturer in Applied Biosafety Research for both graduate and undergraduate programs.
Dr. Theriault's career shifted when he joined the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory, where he addressed antimicrobial resistance (AMR) issues through biosafety, laboratory security, and environmental protection research. His expertise and dedication extended globally as he worked on issues related to AMR, microbicide efficacy, pathogenesis evaluation in viral infectious agents, and advancements in decontamination.
He is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer of Cytophage Technologies Inc., a biotech company he founded to combat AMR by developing highly effective bacteriophages using advanced synthetic biology and molecular genetic techniques. Dr. Theriault has a unique perspective on using synthetic biology to enhance the capabilities and harness the power of bacteriophages in addressing AMR in human health, animal health and food security worldwide. Cytophage has been featured in numerous media platforms was featured in Life Sciences Review magazine as one of the top 10 therapeutics companies in Canada in 2023. In 2024, Cytophage became Canada’s first publicly traded bacteriophage company with the TSX Venture Exchange.
Dr. Theriault has been an invited speaker/presenter at various conferences including Phage Futures, Bacteriophage Therapy Summit, World Vaccine Congress and recently speaking about bacteriophages and AMR at the TEDx Winnipeg in 2024. He has served on several Boards including the Expert Committee for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada's Biomedical Research Fund, and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund.