"WOW! Well done to Drs Shaffer and Bejjani and the team at Signature Genomic Labs Inc. As a clinical geneticist I can only say you continue to provide as outstanding service to our patients. Thank you"
-Signature Client
Signature Team Bios
Lisa G. Shaffer, PhD, President and CEO
- Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond
- Postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Genetics in Clinical Cytogenetics
- Published over 200 articles on clinical cytogenetics, molecular cytogenetics, chromosome structure and biology
- Currently an elected member of the International Standing Committee on Human Cytogenetics Nomenclature
- Sits on the Board of Directors of the American College of Medical Genetics
Bassem A. Bejjani, MD, Chief Medical Officer
- M.D. from American University in Beirut, Lebanon
- Involved in molecular diagnostic activities as a post-doctoral fellow at the Shriver Center for Mental Retardation in Waltham, MA and as a fellow at Boston University Medical Center
- Trained in Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Hospitals
- Former Medical Director of the Kleberg Cytogenetics laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Genetics in three distinct specialties (clinical molecular genetics, clinical cytogenetics, and medical genetics)
- Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics
Beth Torchia, Ph.D., Technical Director
- Former Director of Cytogenetics and Molecular Pathology at Forum Health/Northside Medical Center in Youngstown, OH
- Ph.D. from the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond
- Completed post-doctoral training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics
- Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Genetics in Clinical Cytogenetics
Catherine D. Kashork, B.S., CLSp(CG), Director of Operations
- B.S. in Biology from Lenior-Rhyne College in Hickory, NC
- Certificate in Cytogenetics from the University of Texas-Houston Health Sciences Center
Blake C. Ballif, Ph.D., Director of Product Development and Research
- Ph.D. in Molecular and Human Genetics from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Internship in intelletual property law at the international law firm of Fulbright and Jaworski LLP
- Post-doctoral training at Washington State University
- Published numerous peer-reviewed research articles in the fields of human molecular genetics, cytogenetics, and microarray-based diagnostics
Justine Coppinger, M.S., Certified Genetic Counselor
- Masters Degree in Genetic Counseling in 1995 from the University of South Carolina
- Board certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling
- Laboratory and Clinical Genetic Counseling experience
- Prenatal Counselor at the University of Utah, Department of OB/GYN
- Laboratory Liaison at DNA Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Utah
- Clinical Counselor and Coordinator of the Ethnicity-based screening program at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California (San Jose)
- Clinical Counselor at Inland Northwest Genetics Clinic in Spokane, WA
Andrew C. Olson, MBA, VP Sales & Marketing
- M.B.A. from the University of Houston and a B.S. in Molecular Biology from Brigham Young University
- Joined Signature Genomic Laboratories in October 2007
- Prior Regional Business Manager for Roche Diagnostics leading account managers and field applications consultants
- Various sales positions at Roche for five years and was a President's Award winner
- Sales and marketing positions at GeneOhm Sciences (acquired by BD Diagnostics) and Fisher Scientific
- Began career with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals as a research assistant





