Singular Genomics: Elaine Mardis
Singular Genomics has added Elaine Mardis to its board of directors. Since 2016, Mardis has served as co-executive director of the Institute of Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and holds the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen endowed chair in genomic medicine. She is also a professor of pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. Mardis also serves on the supervisory board, science and technology committee, and compensation and human resources committee at Qiagen. She is currently deputy editor for the peer-reviewed journal Disease Models and Mechanisms, co-editor-in-chief of Cancer Research Communications, and editor-in-chief of Molecular Case Studies. Previously, Mardis was a member of the faculty of the Washington University School of Medicine for 22 years. She holds a PhD in chemistry and biochemistry, and a BS in zoology from the University of Oklahoma.
Molecular Stethoscope: Gajus Worthington
Molecular Stethoscope has appointed Gajus Worthington as executive chairman of its board of directors. Worthington has been chief operating officer of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub since May of 2017, where he has worked with leadership to set strategy, build, and oversee much of the organization. Prior to that, he served as CEO of Fluidigm, where, during a 17-year tenure, he led the development and commercialization of that company’s microfluidics technology, with applications in single-cell genomics, agriculture, and diagnostic testing. Worthington holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. He is an elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Veracyte: Tina Nova, Stephane Debono, Giulia Kennedy
Veracyte has appointed Tina Nova as president of its US CLIA business, Stephane Debono as general manager of the company’s in vitro diagnostics and EMEA organizations, and Giulia Kennedy as its global chief scientific officer and chief medical officer.
In her role, Nova will lead market development, product marketing, payer reimbursement, sales, and operations for all diagnostic tests that are performed in the company’s US laboratories. Nova served most recently as Veracyte’s general manager of thyroid and urologic cancers. She was CEO of Decipher Biosciences prior to Veracyte’s March 2021 acquisition of that company.
Debono will oversee the development, manufacturing, market access, sales, and marketing of the company’s IVD tests on the nCounter Analysis System to laboratories in global markets. He previously served as Veracyte’s general manager for the immunoscore assay and international diagnostics operations. He was also deputy CEO of HalioDx prior to its acquisition by Veracyte in August 2021.
In her expanded role, Kennedy will oversee a worldwide team of research and development, medical affairs, data science, and clinical affairs professionals. She joined Veracyte in 2008, serving most recently as chief scientific officer and chief medical officer.
Myriad Genetics: Jerry Lanchbury, Dale Muzzey, Kirsten Timms
Myriad Genetics this week announced the retirement of Jerry Lanchbury as its CSO after nearly two decades at the company. Since he joined Myriad in 2002, he has led efforts to gain regulatory approval for the company’s companion diagnostics, BRACAnalysis CDx and myChoice CDx; improve hereditary cancer risk score determinations by developing a polygenic breast cancer risk score for all ancestries; and develop Myriad’s Prolaris Prostate Cancer Test. Lanchbury will continue to advise Myriad through the end of Q1 2022. The company is searching nationally for a permanent CSO.
In the interim, Dale Muzzey, formerly the VP of bioinformatics, who Myriad recently promoted to senior VP for R&D, will serve as CSO. Myriad also announced that Kirsten Timms, former VP of biomarker discovery, is now a senior VP, and will work on expanding the capabilities of MyChoice CDx in her new role.
For additional recent items on executive appointments and promotions in omics and molecular diagnostics, please see the People in the News page on our website.