Meet the team

Paloma Newton

Co-Founder & CEO
Background in startups, commercial strategy, and marketing. Paloma has launched hospitality ventures, a not-for-profit, and worked in VC, she’s focused on building a sustainable, trusted business that puts vets and pets first.

Jackson Gritching

Co-founder & CTO
A biomedical and systems engineer, with a background in advanced manufacturing processes, and more recently developed a biological computing platform, leveraging neuronal cultures derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells.

Dr. Jade Jaffar PhD

Founding Scientist
PhD in Medicine with over 20 years of experience in primary tissue processing. Jade has built three biobanks, two in Australia and one in the US, including at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. From day one, she’s applied the rigour of human medicine to everything we do.

Dr. Caitlin Blake-Lane

Head Veterinarian
Brings two decades of clinical experience across Australia and the UK, with added startup expertise from her time at Lyka. She helps ensure our work aligns with the realities of today’s veterinary practice.

Misha Garg

Head of Operations
Misha is a biomedical engineering graduate who transitioned into strategy and operations roles across startups and corporate environments. She ensures all systems and processes maintain the highest standards of safety and integrity for the company's pet stem cell banking services.

Tom Morley MSc

Scientist
Holds a Master’s in Biochemistry from the University of Otago, with nearly a decade of experience as a research assistant in microbiology and clinical pre-translational labs. He’s an expert in tissue culture and has worked extensively with patient stem cell isolation and biobanking.

Edgar Allan Paws

Chief Morale Officer
Chief Morale Officer and full-time good boy. Edgar keeps the team grounded (and regularly distracted) with his unwavering commitment to belly rubs, snack breaks, and lunchtime walks. It was his health journey that first sparked the idea for Elita.