News Updates

Diffinity Genomics acquired by Chiral Technologies.  Read more...

Diffinity Genomics issued patent for their technology "Spatially inhomogenously functionalized porous media and method for use in selective removal of contaminants".  The patent was issued June 23, 2015. 
 

Management Team

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Joseph Marasco, Ph.D., President/CEO

Joe MarascoDr. Marasco brings growth-stage business development and operational experience to the company through his 28 year career of commercializing chemical and biochemical technologies. Prior to joining Diffinity, he served since 2007 as CEO and board member of Chiral Quest Corp., a US headquartered fine chemical and active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing firm. Dr. Marasco has served in several other leadership roles in both early stage and publicly traded firms including Dow Chemical, Beckman, and Kaneka, where he built a $70 M business in custom product collaborations with major pharmaceutical firms. He earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from University of Virginia, and was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in Biochemistry at the Walter Reed Medical Center.

        

Dr. Lewis J Rothberg, Ph.D., CTO, Co-founder and Inventor

Dr. Lewis Rothberg

Dr. Rothberg along with Dr. Huixiang Li, both at the University of Rochester, co-invented the Company’s DNA purification and molecular diagnostic technologies. Dr. Rothberg holds a BS in Physics, Magna cum Laude, from the University of Rochester, Ph.D. in Physics from Harvard University, and has published more than 160 peer-reviewed scientific articles.  His current appointments include Professor of Physics, Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.  Past appointments include Director, NSF Photo-induced Charge Transfer STC, University of Rochester, and Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Bell Labs, Murray Hill, NJ. Dr. Rothberg’s research has been integrated into Sony and Lucent products, and he has helped in the formation of several start-up companies.

 

Robin Hodownes, MBA, VP Sales & Marketing

Robin Hodownes

Robin brings an extensive set of experience in marketing, sales, business development, and business management.  Before joining Diffinity Genomics, she worked for Carestream Health and Eastman Kodak in various sales, marketing, product, & general management positions. She has successfully grown and led new business divisions and launched products worldwide, resulting in triple digit sales growth.  She also has extensive experience establishing and managing business partner and distribution relationships.  Robin holds a Bachelor of Science from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Rochester Simon School of Business, Rochester, NY.