Personal PCR--polymerase chain reaction technology in a machine that costs a fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars of current technology--may be right around the corner.
Caltech-spinoff Helixis has announced two new hires to help it launch its first product. David Barker brings scientific experience in the genomics area from his chief scientific officer stint at Illumina, while Lynne Kielhorn, co-founder of startup Nanodrop, provides launch and business growth expertise within the bioresearch market.
Helixis was launched in 2007 with $10 million in funding and has been developing a PCR technology platform suitable for personal use. The company says it expects its equipment to impact molecular analysis in a way similar to the impact of the personal computer in displacing mainframe computing.
- here's the Helixis release