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Revolutionize life
Affymetrix is adding new genetic analysis technologies to streamline workflows and help you revolutionize life
After pioneering the microarray technology used to publish more than 20,000 scientific papers, Affymetrix is evolving into a provider of scalable, innovative genomic analysis tools and reagents for discovery, exploration, validation, and genetic testing. The acquisitions of Panomics and USB bring high-throughput, multi- to single-gene assays and premium-value molecular biology reagents to our customers, enabling a complete solution for genome-wide analysis studies and a range of products for cellular and protein analysis studies.
Researchers around the world use Affymetrix technologies to better understand the role that genes play in disease, the effectiveness and safety of therapies, and many other biological factors that affect human well-being. Affymetrix microarray technology has been used to make groundbreaking discoveries to help the scientific and medical communities investigate conditions such as infertility, HIV, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, malaria, cancer, and many others. Our mission is to revolutionize how the world benefits from genetic information.
Affymetrix contributed significantly to the formation of today's genetic analysis markets, and we will continue to drive the genomics revolution with a single-minded vision: to help all individuals benefit from understanding their own DNA.
Frank Witney, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Frank Witney brings more than 30 years of experience in leadership and innovation in life science research, products, and diagnostic and analytical instruments to Affymetrix. He previously served at Affymetrix as executive vice president and chief commercial officer following Affymetrix acquisition of Panomics Inc., a quantitative biology company he pioneered for six years as president and chief executive officer. Prior to his return to Affymetrix, Dr. Witney was president and chief executive officer of Dionex Corp., leading this ion and high performance liquid chromatography company to a hugely successful acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Dr. Witney also served as president and chief operating officer of Packard BioScience, overseeing global operations, research and development, manufacturing, and worldwide sales, achieving rapid growth in revenues and operating profits. When Packard was acquired by PerkinElmer Life Sciences, he became president of PerkinElmers Drug Discover Tools division, managing the reagent and instrument business units for high-throughput screening, research products, genomics/proteomics and liquid handling automation.
Earlier in his management career, Dr. Witney held a series of positions at Bio-Rad Laboratories, most recently as Group Operations Manager of the Life Science Group, leading efforts to enter rapidly growing markets for proteomic and bioassay technologies.
Dr. Witney was a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health and holds a doctorate in molecular and cell biology from Indiana University.
Stephen P.A. Fodor, Ph.D.
Founder and Chairman
Dr. Fodor and colleagues were the first to develop and describe microarray technologies and combinatorial chemistry synthesis. He spearheaded the development of Affymetrix' groundbreaking genetic chip technology in 1989 at the Affymax Research Institute. In 1993, he co-founded Affymetrix to commercialize the high-density arrays. Together with the techniques Dr. Fodor and his group developed to read these arrays, these technologies have played an important role in basic and clinical research, discovery and mapping of the human genome and other commercial applications. Dr. Fodor has received numerous honors and awards. In 1992, Dr. Fodor and colleagues were recognized by the AAAS by receiving the Newcomb-Cleveland Award for an outstanding paper published in Science. He also received the Intellectual Property Owner's Distinguished Inventor of the Year Award, The Economist Innovation Award for Nanotechnology and the Association for Laboratory Automation Achievement Award. Dr. Fodor serves on the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute of Science, serves on a variety of scientific advisory boards, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Read Dr. Fodor's extended biography.
Andrew J. Last, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Dr. Last has 25 years of global experience in the life science, pharmaceutical, diagnostics, and agrochemical industries. In his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, he is responsible for all sales, marketing, and service initiatives. Dr. Last previously served as Vice President, Global Marketing & Strategic Planning at BD Biosciences Cell Analysis and General Manager of the company's Pharmingen Business. He has also held senior management positions at Applied Biosystems and Incyte Genomics. Dr. Last holds a Ph.D. in Agrochemical Specialization and a Master's degree in Bio-Aeronautics from Cranfield University in the UK, and a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Leicester, UK.
Timothy C. Barabe
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Barabe joined Affymetrix in March 2010. He has held a broad range of financial and strategic roles in the life sciences and healthcare industries. From July 2006 to March 2010, Mr. Barabe was Senior Vice President & CFO of Human Genome Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Rockville, Maryland. From September 2005 to June 2006, he was Managing Director of the U.K. at Molnlycke Health Care., a U.K.-based, privately owned surgical supply company, having been its CFO from September 2004 to September 2005. Prior to joining Molnlycke, Mr. Barabe was with Novartis AG from 1982 to 2004 in a succession of senior executive positions in finance, general management, and strategic planning, including CFO of the Sandoz Generics Business Unit (Vienna, Austria), President of the CIBA Vision Corporation Specialty Lens Business Franchise, Group Vice President and CFO of CIBA Vision Corporation, and Director of Corporate Finance, Ciba-Geigy Corporation (subsequently acquired by Novartis AG). Mr. Barabe received his MBA in finance from the University of Chicago and his BBA in finance from the University of Massachusetts. He is a member of the Board of Directors of ArQule, Inc.
Rick Runkel
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Runkel brings a broad range of legal experience to Affymetrix, having spent, collectively, more than 25 years in private legal practice and public company management. Previously, Runkel served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Intuitive Surgical Inc, a leader in surgical robotics. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President of Business Development, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at VISX Inc., a leader in laser vision correction technology. In addition, Runkel spent 17 years practicing law at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton LLP, where he was Managing Partner of the firm's San Francisco office. Runkel received his law and undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Corporate History
Affymetrix' GeneChip® technology was invented in the late 1980's by a team of scientists led by Stephen P.A. Fodor, Ph.D. The theory behind their work was revolutionary - a notion that semiconductor manufacturing techniques could be united with advances in combinatorial chemistry to build vast amounts of biological data on a small glass chip. This technology became the basis of a new company, Affymetrix, formed as a division of Affymax, N.V. in 1991. Affymetrix began operating independently in 1992. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the Company completed its initial public offering in June 1996.
The Company commenced commercial sales of the GeneChip® system for research use in 1994, and currently sells its products directly to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostic and consumer products companies, as well as academic, government, and other non-profit research institutes.
Corporate Overview
Affymetrix is a pioneer in creating breakthrough tools that are driving the genomic revolution. By applying the principles of semiconductor technology to the life sciences, Affymetrix develops and commercializes systems that enable scientists to improve quality of life.
The Company's customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics, and consumer products companies, as well as, academic, government, and other non-profit research institutes. Affymetrix offers an expanding portfolio of integrated products and services, including its integrated GeneChip® platform, to address growing markets focused on understanding the relationship between genes and human health. Affymetrix has about 1,100 employees worldwide.
Acquisitions
Panomics, Inc.
In November 2008, Affymetrix acquired Panomics Inc., a privately held Fremont, Calif.-based company that offers a powerful suite of assay products for a wide variety of low to mid-plex genetic, protein and cellular analysis applications.
True Materials Inc.
Affymetrix acquired True Materials Inc., a privately held San Francisco-based company that has developed a technology capable of multiplexing up to 10,000 markers, in July 2008.
USB Corporation
Affymetrix acquired USB Corporation, a privately held Cleveland, Ohio-based company that provides an extensive line of molecular biology and biochemical reagent products, in December 2007. The acquisition included Anatrace Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary that provides membrane protein extraction and purification products.
ParAllele BioScience Inc.
Affymetrix acquired ParAllele BioScience, a privately held provider of highly-scalable technology for comprehensive genetic studies, in October 2005.
Neomorphic, Inc.
Affymetrix acquired Neomorphic, a privately held computational genomics company, in October 2000.
Genetic MicroSystems, Inc.
Affymetrix acquired Genetic MicroSystems, a privately held Massachusetts instrumentation company specializing in DNA array technology, in February 2000.
Patents
Affymetrix has a variety of U.S. patents issued. To see a current list, please visit the Affymetrix Licensing Program page.