COMPANY Leadership

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

D. S. Causey

Visionary, Innovator, Firestarter.

Driven by a deep passion for biotechnology and a relentless pursuit of creative innovation, D. S. Causey has dedicated his career to expanding the boundaries of traditional biotech research and development. With a vision to create an entirely new commercial and consumer market for biotech-based products and services, he founded LEGACY Biotheoretics, a pioneering venture poised to redefine the industry's landscape.

Through LEGACY, Mr. Causey envisions a paradigm shift in how biotechnology is perceived—both by professionals and the public—transforming it from a specialized field into an accessible and impactful force in everyday life.

Chief Legal Officer

G. T. Wu, Ph.D., J.D.

As Chief Legal Officer of Legacy Biotheoretics, GT Wu (Ph.D., Weill Cornell Medical University; J.D., Fordham University) provides strategic legal leadership across the company’s scientific and operational initiatives. His dual expertise in molecular biology and biotechnology law uniquely positions him to oversee intellectual property strategy, regulatory compliance, and ethical governance for Legacy’s pioneering work in avian conservation and de-extinction science.

Dr. Wu’s scientific background enables him to critically evaluate research innovations while developing robust legal protections, ensuring compliance with U.S. and international biotech standards. His leadership extends to structuring high-value partnerships, funding agreements, and collaborative ventures that align with Legacy’s mission. By integrating his deep technical knowledge with legal acumen, he bridges the gap between groundbreaking science and responsible commercialization, balancing innovation with ethical and regulatory considerations.

At the forefront of biotechnology law, Dr. Wu designs legal frameworks for novel genetic technologies while addressing complex challenges in species restoration. His approach combines rigorous scientific insight with strategic risk management, safeguarding Legacy’s advancements in de-extinction and avian domestication.

Chief Scientific Officer

Qichen Yuan, Ph.D

Qichen Yuan is a Co-Founder, General Partner, and the Chief Scientific Officer at LEGACY.

Qichen powers LEGACY’s science with pioneering expertise in advanced genetic engineering. He developed the DAP array and mvGPT technologies that unlocked large-scale, complex gene editing across species and sparked breakthroughs in de-extinction and therapeutic gene editing. 
At LEGACY, Qichen leads scientific innovation, combining next-gen cross-breeding with precision gene editing to build the company’s first flagship product—breaking new ground and shaping biotechnology’s future. Currently, he drives research in directed trait evolution alongside in vivo and in ovo delivery technologies. 
He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from USTC and a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Rice University.

Chief Financial Officer

Jeff A. Baptie

Jeff is a Co-Founder, General Partner, and the Chief Financial Officer for LEGACY. With over 20 years of experience across investment banking, executive leadership, and financial and operational management, Mr. Baptie brings a deep understanding of both the strategic and tactical sides of business. His background includes managing M&A transactions on both the buy and sell side, leading financial planning and analysis, building robust revenue and pricing strategies, managing financial/accounting teams and overseeing banking and legal relationships.
Jeff has worked across multiple industries and thrives in fast-paced, creative environments. Whether in the boardroom or the lunchroom, Mr. Baptie values collaboration, clarity, and curiosity, and is always focused on helping businesses grow with financial discipline and operational insight.

Chief Bioethics Officer

Cody F. Feikles, Ph.D

Cody is a Co-Founder, General Partner, and the Chief Bioethics Officer for LEGACY. Cody is also an Assistant Professor of Ethics and Clinical Ethicist, the Managing Editor for the academic journal, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, and a contract bioethicist.

Cody’s main priority is to ensure that all LEGACY’s work and initiatives remain within reasonable limits (i.e., avoiding abuse, exploitation, harm to humans, or other motivations by maximizing profit or ideology that cause animals to suffer and/or die needlessly) and contribute to the promotion of human lives and leisure, non-human lives and conditions, the environment, and the common good. In that way, Cody is responsible for ensuring LEGACY’s work respects the planet and the dignity of all creatures living within it and is not motivated by profit, power, or praise. By taking every precaution – to other human beings, to other non-human species, and to the environment – Cody’s work ensures LEGACY that safeguards the well-being of all in its endeavors while inviting the public into wonderment, awe, and mystery.