Gary Sams, Ph.D., CEO.  Dr. Gary Sams has worked as a Sales and Marketing executive for the last 20 years in the life sciences research and drug discovery tools sectors. He has played pivotal roles in a broad spectrum of activities, including early corporate formation, commercial strategy development, marketing, business development, and sales at several life sciences reagents and instrumentation companies, including Promega, EG&G (now Perkin Elmer), Digene (Nasdaq: DIGE), and Vysis (acquired by Abbott for $350MM in 2002).  For the past ten years Dr. Sams has provided strategic marketing and commercialization consulting services as the CEO of Beachhead Consulting Group. The group’s clients include a wide range of leading life science companies including Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Perkin Elmer, and Caliper. Dr. Sams has also worked with many early-stage companies, including Geneospectra (now Panomics), 454 Corporation, Cytokinetics, Sequenom, and Nanogen.  

Dr. Sams has broad experience in technologies, from genomics to proteomics to cell assays. He has worked in virtually all product platforms including reagents, instruments, and imaging systems, and has worked in evaluating all parts of the drug discovery process, from basic research through drug discovery and development. Prior to entering the commercial sector, Dr. Sams received his Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Kansas and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Cancer Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin.

Richard Fisler, Chief Commercial Officer.  Richard Fisler has spent 15 years developing and commercializing instrumentation and consumables in the medical and biotechnology fields. He has extensive experience in developing business and marketing strategies for emerging technologies and established product lines, and has managed numerous licensing and OEM relationships with medical and biotechnical companies.  At Siemens Medical Systems, he was responsible for developing and implementing its imaging workstation business plan, licensing third party solutions, and coordinating internal development programs. He managed Siemens’ high end ultrasound products, including the development and release of 3-Dimensional Ultrasound imaging, and successfully managed Pre-market Approval Applications and 510k submissions for Class II medical devices. For the past four years he has provided strategic marketing and commercialization consulting services as the President of Beachhead Consulting Group.

Bruce Gale, Ph.D., Chairman & CTO.  Dr. Gale graduated summa cum laude in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University and received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Utah.  He is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah, with concurrent appointments in Bioengineering, Material Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering.  Dr. Gale has conducted work in microarray spotter manufacturing, microneedle fabrication, micropumps, bioMEMS, particle separations, Electrical Field Flow Fractionation (EFFF), Cyclical EFFF, optical waveguides, and DNA amplification. 

Josh Eckman, President.   Mr. Eckman graduated summa cum laude in Business Administration and Asian Studies from the University of Utah in 2004.  At graduation, he was awarded the 2004 Outstanding Scholar in Business Administration and the Honors Department Baccalaureate Award.  Mr. Eckman completed a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in December 2006 with a focus on microfluidics.  As part of his graduate research, Mr. Eckman designed and prototyped the 48 spot CFM print head.  Previously, Mr. Eckman worked for two years with the Lassonde New Venture Development Center, developing business models for the commercialization of university technologies. 

Jim Smith, Ph.D., VP Operations.   Dr. Smith has worked as a founding engineer in two Utah technology start-up companies, with valuable experience in establishing and operating microfabrication facilities in the Salt Lake valley.  Dr. Smith completed a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah in 2007.  His background is in nanostructured materials and molecular interactions of silicone polymers.