SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Apr 14, 2011) - Atossa Genetics, Inc., a privately-held health care company focused on the development and marketing of novel cellular and molecular diagnostic risk assessment products for breast cancer, announced today that Tim Hunkapiller, Ph.D., Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of DiscoveryBiosciences Corporation, has joined Atossa's Scientific Advisory Board.
Dr. Hunkapiller has been a pioneering presence in computational biotechnology since its infancy 30 years ago and is co-inventor of the largest selling analytical research instrument in the world: the Perkin Elmer/Applied Biosystems DNA sequencer. Through his Seattle, Washington-based company, DiscoveryBiosciences, he provides technical consulting and commercialization services to both established and upcoming biotech companies.
Dr. Hunkapiller earned a Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology and was Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Washington until 1998. As a scientist, Dr. Hunkapiller's research focus included molecular immunology, evolution, computational genetics and comparative genomics. He is considered a leading expert on the genetics, genomic organization and functional diversity of the immune system. For the last 20 years, he has also been involved in bioinformatics, algorithm and database development and experimental process optimization.
While at Caltech, Dr. Hunkapiller originated the model for the automated, fluorescent DNA sequencer. The manifestation of this idea in products such as the ABI 3700™ and the MD Megabase™ sequencers catalyzed and enabled the completion of the first drafts of the Human Genome and helped to revolutionize the field of genomics. He continues to work with Applied Biosystems today on improving the throughput and quality of data from these instruments and their associated chemistry.
Dr. Hunkapiller has been an advisor to a number of biotechnology companies as well as technology companies servicing the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. These efforts range from helping with SNP association studies for target discovery in breast cancer to the application of novel computer technologies in intelligently searching very large, unstructured text sources to improve intellectual property analysis.
"I am delighted to welcome Dr. Tim Hunkapiller to our Scientific Advisory Board," stated Steven C. Quay, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, President and CEO of Atossa Genetics. "Tim brings an unmatched breadth and depth of experience in the areas of breast cancer genome analysis and Second Generation Sequencing efforts to Atossa. I am confident his contributions toward the development of future generations of breast cancer diagnostic products and services being developed by Atossa will be invaluable."
"Atossa Genetics' FDA-cleared MASCT System is an exciting new breast cancer risk assessment test that I believe will be recognized by physicians and patients as one of the most important new tools in the fight against breast cancer," commented Dr. Hunkapiller. "Future generations of products and services being developed by Atossa have the potential to change the way we think about and treat breast cancer. I look forward to working with Dr. Quay, his scientific team, and other scientific advisory board members to advance the development of these products for the benefit of patients."
About the Mammary Aspirate Specimen Cytology Test System
The MASCT System, a "Pap test for breast cancer," is designed to collect nipple aspirate fluid (NAF), which contains cells from the lining of the milk ducts and the lobules where approximately 85% of all breast cancers originate. Once collected, the NAF sample will undergo analysis in Atossa's specially equipped pathology lab to determine whether the cells are normal, atypical (premalignant), or malignant. The MASCT System uses no radiation, is simple, painless, and inexpensive, and takes less than 5 minutes in a doctor's office or mammography center. The MASCT System is intended as an adjunct to mammography for women ages 40 to 75 and for younger women at high risk for breast cancer.
The MASCT System is expected to be launched in the Pacific Northwest this year and across the U.S. in 2012.
About Atossa Genetics, Inc.
Atossa Genetics, Inc. is a privately held health care company dedicated to improving breast health by commercializing the Mammary Aspirate Specimen Cytology Test System (MASCT System) and second-generation products in development. Patients, health care providers, investors and others seeking information on the MASCT System or the latest information and research on breast cancer risk assessment, diagnostics, prevention, and treatment options, should visit