Dr. Lisa Offringa, PhD, is a medical and nutritional ethnobotanist working at the intersection of botanical science, nutrition, and translational research. With a Ph.D. in Plant Sciences and more than 15 years of experience across biotechnology, startups, and consumer packaged goods companies, she brings a rigorous “soil-to-shelf” perspective to nutraceutical and health innovation. Her experience focuses on translating complex biological and ethnobotanical knowledge into credible evidence, responsible product strategies, and clear scientific narratives that support research, regulatory conversations, and industry decision-making.
She earned her Ph.D. in Plant Sciences through a joint program between The Graduate Center at The City University of New York and The New York Botanical Garden, where her research examined medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Northern Thailand to treat memory disorders in the elderly. Her work integrated ethnography, botanical identification, phytochemistry, and biological research, grounding her scientific approach in both traditional knowledge and modern methodologies. She later completed postdoctoral training in Nutrition at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the School of Medicine at Stanford University, where her research focused on plant-based foods, dietary patterns, plant based dietary fiber and the microbiome, and their role in preventive and metabolic health.
She currently serves as Scientific Affairs Manager at Phynova, where she bridges science with business development to drive growth across the Americas. In this role, she acts as the scientific expert supporting commercial teams, helping customers understand the value of ReducoseⓇ while contributing to long-term strategic initiatives including clinical validation, regulatory alignment, and evidence generation. Her work supports sales efforts, strengthens brand credibility, and advances Phynova’s leadership in scientifically backed health solutions.
Guided by a multidisciplinary systems-thinking approach, Lisa is especially passionate about advancing evidence-based frameworks for botanicals and nutraceuticals that are scientifically rigorous, ethically grounded, and scalable. She stays deeply connected to plants, food, and the natural world that inspire her research. You can find her outside hiking, foraging for herbs and botanizing. She values curiosity, collaboration, and lifelong learning, and believes that meaningful health innovation begins with respect for both nature and the communities that steward it.
