Alpenglow Biosciences Expands Advisory Board with Two Esteemed Industry Leaders

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alpenglow Biosciences, a pioneer in advanced 3D spatial tissue imaging, the next evolution of static digital pathology, is pleased to announce the appointment of Blandine Merino MS and Mike Rice to its Advisory Board. Their extensive expertise in next-generation sequencing, digital pathology, AI-driven cancer detection, manufacturing, and life science tools will be instrumental in expanding Alpenglow’s impact in precision medicine.

Blandine Merino

Blandine Merino is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience driving product development, business operations, and strategy at companies like Guardant Health, Freenome, and Agilent. She specializes in NGS, digital pathology, and AI-powered cancer detection.

At Guardant Health, she led cross-functional teams to expand the use of NGS testing in clinical trials, partnering with over 50 biopharma companies to advance cancer drug development.

As VP of Business Development at Freenome, she developed and executed a strategy that accelerated the launch of a multi-analyte, machine-learning-powered early cancer detection test. She established co-development programs with academic medical centers and biopharma partners and led initiatives for licensing and global expansion.

At Agilent, she led global NGS-based oncology diagnostics product strategy and development. She later became AVP of Strategy for Companion Diagnostics (CDx), where she developed and executed a pioneering digital pathology strategy, integrating AI and advanced imaging to enhance precision medicine.

Blandine Merino is also the founder of Bio2Market, a consulting firm supporting top life sciences and AI-driven companies. She holds an M.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Paris-Saclay and an M.S. in Engineering from ISA Graduate School in Bioengineering.

Mike Rice

Mike Rice is a veteran life science tools executive with more than 17 years of public company leadership experience. As former Chairman and CEO of BioLife Solutions he led the transformation of the company from a small operation with fewer than 10 employees into a critical supplier of proprietary cell processing reagents with over 500 employees. Under his leadership, BioLife’s revenues surged from under $1 million to nearly $150 million, with a market capitalization of $2 billion at its peak.

During his tenure, Mike spearheaded the development of clinical-grade biopreservation media, now embedded in nearly 1,000 customer applications and 17 approved CGT products directly and through geographic expansions and treatment extensions. He played a pivotal role in scaling BioLife’s business through strategic acquisitions, product innovation, and market expansion.

A respected board member and advisor, Mike brings deep operational and strategic expertise to Alpenglow, reinforcing its mission to revolutionize tissue analysis through advanced digital and 3D imaging solutions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Blandine and Mike to our Advisory Board,” said Nick Reder, MD, MPH, CEO and founder of Alpenglow Biosciences. “Their deep industry insights and proven track records in diagnostics and life sciences tools will greatly enhance our strategic initiatives and propel our commitment to transforming pathology and precision medicine.”

Alpenglow Biosciences’ proprietary platform enables whole tissue imaging in three dimensions, providing unprecedented clarity and insight for research and clinical diagnostics. With the addition of these seasoned leaders, the company is poised to accelerate product development, foster new industry collaborations, and drive the next phase of innovation in digital pathology.

About Alpenglow Biosciences

Alpenglow Biosciences is a venture-backed company focused on accelerating drug development and improving clinical diagnostics with AI-enabled 3D spatial imaging technology. Their 3D spatial biology platform solution provides new spatial biology insights with greater accuracy by non-destructively digitizing entire tissues. Alpenglow partners with pharmaceutical companies to bring better therapeutics to market faster through greater understanding of mechanism of action, efficacy & toxicology, and patient trial enrollment using their patented platform. Five of the top 10 pharma companies already work with Alpenglow to accelerate development timelines, save costs, gain new insights, and improve therapeutic success. To learn more please visit www.alpenglowbiosciences.com.