modular genetics

Management Team

Kevin A. Jarrell, Ph.D.

CEO

Dr. Kevin Jarrell is a co-founder of Modular Genetics and is a recognized expert in RNA splicing and gene assembly. In his academic career at Harvard University, Boston University, and Ohio State University, his research resulted in numerous publications and contributed significantly to the current understanding of how living organisms manipulate their genetic information. Of specific interest are the limitations associated with the current genetic engineering tools available to the scientist as well as the emergence of high-throughput technologies aimed at increasing the size and diversity of genetic libraries under study through the use of automation and efficient design. In addition, Dr. Jarrell's work has resulted in seven U.S. issued patents and twenty six pending applications.

Temple F. Smith, Ph.D.

Chief Informatics Officer

Dr. Temple Smith, co-founder of Modular Genetics, is recognized as one of the originators of the field of bioinformatics. He is the co-author of the Smith-Waterman algorithm, which is the basis for nearly all genetic sequence comparative analyses. In addition to being one of the original organizers of GenBank, he also established the first bioinformatics research support group at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard University School of Public Health. Dr. Smith has published over one hundred papers on genetic analyses, disease evolution and protein domain structure. Currently he is a full professor at Boston University and the Director of the University's BioMolecular Engineering Research Center (BMERC). Having consulted for many biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Smith also has vast industry experience.

Scientific Advisory Board

Charles Cantor Ph.D.

Dr. Cantor is a founder and the Chief Scientific Officer of Sequenom, Inc., a genomics company focused on high-throughput SNP analysis and detection. Dr. Cantor is also a full professor at Boston University, where he is currently on sabbatical to focus his efforts at on SEQUENOM. Prior to joining the faculty of Boston University, he was Director of the Human Genome Center at the Department of Energy at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Dr. Cantor was also the inventor of pulse field electrophoresis, for which he was elected as the youngest member to the National Academy of Sciences USA. During his science career he also has over 100 published papers.

Dudley Herschbach, Ph.D.

Dr. Herschbach is the Baird Professor of Science at Harvard University, where he received his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics in 1958. His research on the molecular dynamics of chemical reactions was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1986. Other honors include the National Medal of Science in 1991 and the Scientific Society Presidents' Award in 1999. He has published over 400 scientific papers dealing chiefly with chemical kinetics, molecular spectra and collision processes, theory of molecular vibrations and electronic structure, solvent-solute interactions as revealed by spectra at high pressure, catalytic reactions in drastically nonequilibrium systems, and a dimensional scaling approach to strongly correlated many-body interactions. His current research is devoted to methods of orienting molecules for studies of collision stereodynamics, means of slowing and trapping molecules in order to examine chemistry at long deBroglie wavelengths, and analysis of biomolecular motors.

Leroy Hood, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Hood is a founder and the Director of the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, Washington. While at CalTech, Dr. Hood established a worldwide reputation for his ability to anticipate the next key area of development in biotechnology. His work in the area of automating DNA sequencing led the way for the eventual sequencing of the entire human genome. Recently, Dr. Hood created the cross-disciplinary Department of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Washington as the William Gates III Professor of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Hood has played a role in creating numerous successful biotechnology companies, including Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ, AMGN) and Applied Biosystems, Inc. (NYSE, ABI).

Mark Ptashne, Ph.D.

Dr. Ptashne is the Ludwig Chair of Molecular Biology at Sloan-Kettering Institute in New York City. He is a world-acknowledged founder of molecular studies of gene regulation. He has a frequently cited scientific publication record of nearly two hundred articles. Dr. Ptashne was involved in the creation of the biotechnology industry, including as a co- founder of the Genetics Institute, one of the first biotechnology companies. Genetics Institute, Inc. is now a subsidiary of Wyeth Research (NYSE: WYE). Dr. Ptashne is a recipient of the prestigious Lasker award.

P. Somasundaran, Ph.D.

Dr. Somasundaran is La von Duddleson Krumb Professor, Director Langmuir Center for Colloids & Interfaces, Director National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Advanced Studies in Novel Surfactants at Columbia University. He is a recognized authority in the areas of surface and colloid chemistry, surfactants and polymers. Dr. Somasundaran was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 1985, and has been elected to numerous other honorary societies, both in the U.S. and abroad. He has authored 15 books and over 600 scientific publications and patents.