About Us /
Leaders in Specialized Development
Mission /
Seeds of Change
To reconnect humanity, Psygen will improve access to psychedelics.
If your project requires a supply of psychedelic medicines for academic research or humanitarian efforts, or you are a physician authorized under a compassionate-use system (e.g., Australia’s Authorized Prescriber Scheme, Canada’s Special Access Program, etc.), our team would love to hear from you.
Psygen is a mission-driven organization at its core, and projects such as these are why we exist – to grow the evidence base necessary to enable a paradigm shift in healthcare.
Our Team /
Industry Leadersin Psychedelic Medicinal Chemistry and Large-Scale Manufacturing
Management /
Danny Motyka
Co-Founder & CEO
Danny is a long-time proponent for the use of psychedelic medicines. His academic background in chemistry, professional career in operations management and strategic planning, and his strong understanding of controlled substance regulations were all intentionally curated skills to build Psygen. Danny truly believes that psychedelics are important tools to transform and improve the world.
Peter van der Heyden, PhD
Co-Founder & Director
Peter van der Heyden is co-founder and former Chief Science Officer of Psygen. He has been active in psychedelic chemistry for over 50 years, and was first inspired by a pivotal transformative experience with the legendary “Orange Sunshine” LSD, produced by his mentor Nicholas Sand. Peter’s subsequent unauthorized specialization in large-scale synthesis of the major psychedelics paved the way for Psygen to become the world’s first licensed manufacturer dedicated exclusively to the GMP production of psychedelic APIs.
Giorgio Baggi, PhD
Chief Science Officer
Giorgio Baggi is a synthetic organic chemist at heart, with a PhD in Chemistry and over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and academic R&D environments. His deep-rooted passion for chemistry in all shapes and forms allows him, together with the rest of Psygen’s scientific team, to develop efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes and deliver psychedelic APIs of the highest quality. Giorgio is committed to creating a society where the transformative power of psychedelics is accessible to everyone in an equitable manner.
David Wood, PhD
Chief Legal Officer
David Wood is an experienced lawyer and patent agent, with a PhD in structural biochemistry. David’s 15+ year legal career in intellectual property, regulatory, litigation and commercial practice included partnership at Canada’s largest national law firm, where he co-chaired a multi-office, multi-practice psychedelics and cannabis practice group. David’s previous and current legal practice outside of Psygen earned him recognition in the competitive and peer-based Best Lawyers ranking for cannabis law. David’s current top professional priority is responsibly broadening access to LSD, 2C-B and other psychedelics for medical, other therapeutic, traditional use and spiritual use.
Colin Kilty
Head of BD & Strategy
Colin Kilty is the Head of Business Development & Strategy at Psygen. With a background in Consumer Behaviour and Psychology, he excels at navigating complex markets to find strategic success. He joined Psygen in 2021 with experience in Operations and Marketing across Consumer Products, Banking, Oil & Gas, and Tobacco. Driven by a desire to make a positive impact, he shifted his career to align with his goal to improve the state of humanity. Colin believes the world’s primary problems can be traced back to the erosion of our common humanity, and he views psychedelics as a tool for reconnection.
Quality Assurance /
Shailendra Rane, PhD
QC Manager
Leidy Mateo, M.S., LSSBB
Head of Quality
Solomon Hailu, PhD
QC Chemist
Amy Bai
Document Controller
Wei Liu
QA Associate
Rachelle Varga
QC Chemist
Shailendra Rane, PhD
QC Manager
Leidy Mateo, M.S., LSSBB
Head of Quality
Solomon Hailu, PhD
QC Chemist
Amy Bai
Document Controller
Wei Liu
QA Associate
Rachelle Varga
QC Chemist
Operations /
Lisa McMullen, SCMP
Supply Chain Manager
Bob Pike
IT Manager
Dave Gvora, MBA, CPA, CA
Controller
James Bateman
Facility Maintenance Manager
Jayamma Yaruva, PhD
Sr.R&D Chemist
Bri Sebastian, PhD
Director of Laboratory Operations
Lisa McMullen, SCMP
Supply Chain Manager
Bob Pike
IT Manager
Dave Gvora, MBA, CPA,
CA-Controller
James Bateman
Facility Maintenance Manager
Jayamma Yaruva, PhD
Sr.R&D Chemist
Bri Sebastian, PhD
Director of Laboratory Operations
Our Values /
Good People. Great Product.
Quality:
We are dedicated to ensuring every product we develop meets the highest standards of purity, quality, and reliability. Our unwavering commitment to quality is driven by our mission to improve health outcomes and enhance the lives of patients around the world.
Connection:
We work closely with your team, ensuring quick turnaround and advantageous processes, facilitating proactive, ongoing communication. We believe the best human connections result in the best project outcomes.
Generosity:
At the heart of our company lies a spirit of generosity. We are committed to sharing our knowledge and resources generously, believing that by doing so, we can drive positive change and innovation within psychedelic research, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide.
Curiosity:
Curiosity is not just about asking questions—it’s about finding answers that make a meaningful impact. We are dedicated to leveraging our curiosity to develop improved manufacturing processes and ensure the highest quality medicines are available to those in need.