Spencer Marsh has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in bioengineering and a Ph.D. in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine from Clemson University. After completing his Ph.D., he began doing post-doctorate work in Robert Gourdie’s lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC (FBRI). Marsh now serves as the chief scientific officer for The Tiny Cargo Company and is transitioning into a chief operating officer role at the company.

His GO Virginia project, GMP CLEAN (Good Manufacturing Practices: Cleanroom manufacturing for Local Engineering Advancement in the New river & Roanoke valleys) is addressing the need for cleanroom space through planning activities that are surveying region-wide and statewide needs.

1. Over the course of your career, what is your proudest accomplishment?

The Tiny Cargo Company is focused on harnessing exosomes in cow’s milk for both therapeutic and nutraceutical purposes. In December 2023, Tiny Cargo was successful in industrially isolating exosomes. Our company traveled to New Zealand, where we processed 3,000 liters of milk into 200 liters of exosomes. Scaling the technology from the lab to what I believe is a world first is our most significant accomplishment at this point.

2. What do you like most about working at The Tiny Cargo Company?

We're still small enough that every day we’re doing something different.

I might be in the CSO role, but some days I'll be using a microscope for six-eight hours. Some days I'll be in meetings, writing proposals, working on manuscripts, or giving talks.

We're able to be nimble and readjust at a moment's notice because we’re small. For many companies, it can take 12 to 18 months to start a new project whereas we can do that in 12 or 18 hours.

3. Can you talk about the inspiration behind your Region 2 project, GMP CLEAN?

At Tiny Cargo, we needed to scale up our manufacturing, and we were looking at local opportunities to install or lease a cleanroom. This experience showed me we lack the infrastructure needed for advanced biomanufacturing in the region. Tiny Cargo needed some sort of assistance with this challenge or we were going to be moving.

At Tech Night last year, I was talking to other RAMP companies, and they were experiencing the same problems. One person said they were looking at a place in Raleigh-Durham. Another said they were thinking they might outsource to a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

I realized if we wanted to make a mark here in biomanufacturing, something would have to change.

That led to internal conversations at Virginia Tech and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. The FBRI led the submission for the GO Virginia project. We were able to create a vision of building our own infrastructure in the region as opposed to trying to relocate somewhere where infrastructure is already present or going with a CDMO.

The leadership at the FBRI, including Executive Director Michael Friedlander and Professor and Director of the Center for Vascular and Heart Research Robert Gourdie, put themselves out there and allowed for a cleanroom to be placed into what was a lab space.

The support of the FBRI on this grant and their provision of matching funds has been invaluable. My role at Tiny Cargo is what unearthed the need in the region. But my position at FBRI was altogether far more influential in being able to make this happen. FBRI’s role cannot be overstated.

4. What do you hope the impact of GMP CLEAN will be in the region?

We want to identify the need for biomanufacturing and other high-tech manufacturing infrastructure in Region 2 – in Roanoke, Blacksburg, and beyond.

What we've identified so far is a glaring need by at least six to eight companies who require cleanrooms in order to scale to clinical trials or large-scale manufacturing.

As long as that number keeps growing and we're able to show there is an actual need here, I'm hopeful this project will open the eyes of those in the region and result in the construction of numerous cleanrooms in Region 2. More cleanrooms will allow us to lean into the new industries that we're trying to get started here in biomanufacturing, high-tech manufacturing, and the life sciences.

Beyond supporting local companies, I hope the legacy of this project will be that we can begin recruiting companies here. Region 2 can become a destination for high-tech companies to initiate their manufacturing needs.

5. As you move forward with this project, is there anything in particular you are looking forward to learning or doing?

The proposal team and I have already learned a ton.

Much of it has been unexpected. We have learned a lot about the logistics of cleanroom purchasing, installing cleanrooms, and engaging architects, engineers, and manufacturers. What I'm looking forward to is forming that into a coherent strategy and a linear process that can be replicated.

I am excited to reimplement the project at a larger scale elsewhere in Region 2 so we can continue to support the companies here and beyond.

6. In your experience with the GO Virginia program so far, what do you like most about being a grantee?

 I submit grants to many different agencies. The differential that we had with GO Virginia was the initial early-stage support in crafting the proposal and project to not only fit what we need, but also to fit what GO Virginia offers.

What I like most so far is the feedback and the engagement from the GO Virginia team. They are continuing to follow along with the progress and will support us as we move forward. Working with GO Virginia has been very collaborative and iterative. I think that's been a huge benefit to the grant overall.

7. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in developing their own Life Science & Biotechnology startup?

The most basic advice I give people is to eliminate the unknown unknowns. You have to be aware of what you don't know. You have to utilize experts in areas where you don't know the answers. A huge part of being in a startup is learning how to solve problems, but at the end of the day, you have to value your time and understand that if you're spending 20-40 hours figuring out a problem, you're not spending that time running your business. There can be some growing pains associated with learning when to lean on other people and when to bring in experts in other fields. If you understand that you don't know the answers to some things, you’ll be able to move much faster.

8. What was the last book you read that you would recommend?

Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace by James T. Costa. Alfred Russel Wallace was the scientist who worked with Charles Darwin, and the book provides a fantastic overview of that period of time and the work they did.

I read another great book called Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky, which focuses on human psychology and how the brain produces responses.

9. What is the most memorable place you have ever visited?

In the summer of 2023, I was in New Zealand for about six weeks for work with Tiny Cargo. We were initiating our manufacturing pilot testing there. You can't be anywhere for about six weeks without it being quite memorable. It was beautiful.

I was able to take the weekends and drive around the country. The country is not terribly big, so I was able to drive across the entire North Island over the span of two or three weekends. I was able to see every major town in the country, which was really nice.