Mimi Healy, PhD – CEO
Dr. Healy has more than 20 years of healthcare, molecular diagnostics and biotechnology experience in both US and international markets. Dr. Healy pulls from a broad experience base having served roles in research and development, commercialization and executive management in both startup and established organizations in the past. Her experience includes all aspects of strategic development and implementation, corporate finance and fundraising, product development from research to the clinical validation and the successful market launch of molecular diagnostic systems and test kits. Her last position as President and CEO resulted in the successful financing of a start-up and its profitable exit via acquisition. Her product development skills have placed more than numerous commercial assays in the market. She serves on several grant review boards, has published in various scientific journals, authored several chapters and filed/received patents. Dr. Healy holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology, M.S. in Biology, B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and B.A. in Psychology of Industry and Organizations.
Michael L. Metzker, PhD – Founder & CTO
Dr. Metzker has 20 years of experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as with leading academic institutions. He is currently an Associate Professor of Molecular & Human Genetics at the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Chemistry at Rice University.
Dr. Metzker has served as an expert witness for several criminal cases involving HIV-transmission, presenting a breakthrough method of phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 DNA sequences, which resulted in multiple convictions. He has also served as an expert witness for several law suits related to infringement and interference in the NGS field. During his career, he has held senior-level research positions with Merck Research Laboratories and Applied Biosystems (now Life Technologies). He received his PhD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, has published over 40 research papers in leading scientific journals, authored numerous book chapters, and obtained multiple patents.
David Hertzog, PhD – Vice President, Business Development
Dr. Hertzog joined LaserGen in 2008 after leaving the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company where he led projects and managed client teams for several Fortune Global 10 companies in technology program planning, growth strategy, and product portfolio assessments. Prior to McKinsey, Dr. Hertzog developed microfluidic technologies for bioassay applications in the Biosecurity and Nanosciences Lab at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. Dr. Hertzog received his PhD at Stanford University in microfluidics, MS at Stanford University in aerospace engineering, and his BS at Cornell University in mechanical engineering.