On The Spot e-News
Volume 3, Issue 6 | June 2008
In this issue:
- Signature Scientific Microarray Conference 2008 Recap
- Signature Reports Investment in Company and Appointment of New Chairman of Board of Directors
- SignatureSelectOS Now Available
Signature Scientific Microarray Conference 2008 Recap
On June 20-21, 46 Signature clients traveled to Spokane, Wash. from as far as Qatar to attend the first Signature Scientific Microarray Conference. Over the course of two days, attendees listened to keynote speakers John M. Graham, MD, Michael Shevell, MD, and David D. Weaver, MD and their colleagues present their experience with microarrays, demo’d Signature’s proprietary Genoglyphix® microarray analysis service, and toured Signature’s new facility. Thirty-three Signature employees were available to answer questions, and five exhibitors displayed their products. Tours of local wineries, golf outings and walking tours of Spokane entertained attendees after hours.
Response to the conference was positive, with attendees commenting on the wealth of clinically relevant information, the friendly atmosphere, and the "extremely helpful and welcoming staff" present.
Signature thanks all the conference attendees, vendors, sponsors and SGL staff who made the first Signature Scientific Microarray Conference a success.
Signature Reports Investment in Company and Appointment of New Chairman of Board of Directors
jVen Capital, a life sciences investment company with a focus in the areas of biotechnology, diagnostics, and medical devices, has acquired an equity interest in Signature Genomic Laboratories. In conjunction with the investment Evan Jones, the principle of jVen Capital, has been appointed Chairman of Signature’s Board of Directors.
Prior to establishing jVen Capital in 2007, Mr. Jones was co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Digene Corp., a publicly traded biotechnology firm that specialized in DNA-based diagnostic tests for human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer. Mr. Jones served as CEO of Digene from 1990 to 2006 and President from 1990 to 1999. Digene was purchased by Qiagen in 2007 for $1.6 billion.
Paul R. Billings, M.D. Ph.D., the outgoing Chairman of Signature’s Board of Directors, commented, "We are excited to have Evan join the Board of Directors at Signature. Evan has a proven reputation directing and investing in life sciences companies, and we are confident that Evan will apply that acumen to facilitating Signature’s growth."
Mr. Jones commented, "I am enthusiastic about joining the Signature team. Since the company’s founding five years ago Signature has become the leading provider of microarray-based DNA diagnostic testing. It’s an exciting opportunity to be involved with such a strong team and to have the opportunity to help the company capitalize on its unique market position in the emerging fields of molecular genetics and personalized medicine."
Mr. Jones is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Research Institute at the Children’s National Medical Center; Chairman of the Campaign for Public Health, an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Research!America, an organization advocating increased funding for medical research; and a member of the board of the Friends of the National Library of Medicine. Mr. Jones received a B.A. in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
SignatureSelectOS Now Available for Genoglyphix Clients
Signature announces the release to its Genoglyphix customers of a new microarray for research applications.
Developed in partnership with Agilent Technologies, the 105,000 -feature SignatureSelect Oligo Solution (SignatureSelectOS) covers over 150 syndromes, the pericentromeric regions, subtelomeres and over 500 genes in important developmental pathways. The SignatureSelectOS has one probe every 10 kb in regions of interest and an average probe spacing of one probe every 35 kb throughout the rest of the genome, for an average of 50 oligos per clinical locus. Used in conjunction with our Oligoglyphix software, the SignatureSelectOS is the most comprehensive microarray available for the investigation of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with developmental delay and congenital anomalies.
Call Signature Genomic Laboratories at 1.877.GGXChip (1.877.449.2447) or e-mail info@genoglyphix.com to find out how your laboratory can benefit from Signature’s Genoglyphix service, or read our frequently asked questions.