Life Technologies, United States
Description of organisation
Life Technologies' systems, consumables and services are found in 90% of research labs around the world and are wholly dedicated to one goal: improving the human condition. With more than 600,000 citations in scientific papers, we offer innovative solutions that span the entire biological spectrum to keep our customers on the leading edge of science. Life Technologies manufactures both molecular diagnostic and research use only products to advance the fields of discovery and translational research, molecular medicine, stem cell-based therapies, food safety and animal health, as well as 21st century forensics.
We uphold our commitment to innovation by employing more than 1,500 scientists, spending several hundred million dollars annually on research and development, and sustaining our intellectual property estate of more than 3,500 patents and exclusive licenses. With a presence in more than 160 countries, Life Technologies is dedicated to serving the world's brightest scientific minds and enabling their research success.
Previous experience
Created from the merger between Invitrogen and Applied Biosystems in 2008, Life Technologies Corporation is now a global biotechnology tools company with a history of developing cutting edge consumables, systems and services which combined into improved workflows enable researchers to accelerate scientific analysis and exploration. We participate in and initiate, international alliances dedicated to drive discoveries and developments that make life even better.
Over the years, Capillary Electrophoresis and qPCR Solutions from Life Technologies have become a core element or even a gold standard for medical research and applications. We are committed to apply this expertise as well as major resources to our SOLiD™ and Ion Torrent™ platforms while Next Generation Sequencing Technologies progress to impact the clinical space. Ion Torrent™ has pioneered an entirely new approach to sequencing. Instead of using light as an intermediary to sequence DNA, Ion Torrent™ uses semiconductor technology and simple chemistry. Just as the microprocessor enabled desktop computing to displace the mainframe, Ion Torrent™ semiconductor technology will democratize sequencing, putting it within the reach of any lab for any sequencing purpose. It is our belief that the Ion Torrent™ technology will form the basis for the ultimate clinical solution within the next few years.
Profile of staff members
Greg Lucier (CEO), Paul Billings (CMO), Mark Stevenson (President & COO), Kevin McKernan (Senior Director of Scientific Operations), Andy Felton (Sr. Director Product Marketing Ion Torrent Business Unit), Kent Davidson (Director of Sequencing Business EU ), Kai Seehaus (EU Manager Strategic Accounts).
Webpage
Five recent publications relevant to the project
1) "Open-Source Genomic Analysisof Shiga-Toxin-Producing E. coli O104:H4" , N Engl J Med 2011, 365:718-24
2) "Prospective Genomic Characterization of the German Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O104:H4 Outbreak by Rapid Next Generation Sequencing Technology"; PLOS, July 2011, Volume 6, Issue 7, e22751
3) "An integrated semiconductor device enabling non-optical genome sequencing"; Nature, 21 July, Vol 475, 351
News and Views:
4) "Semiconductors charge into Sequencing"; NBT, Sep 2011, Vol 29, Number 9, 805-807
5) "Ion Torrent Sketches Path to Billion-Sensor Chip, Human Genome Sequencing"; Genome Web, In Sequence 07/26/2011