Marquis (Mark) P. Vawter, MA, MS, PhD - Dr. Marquis P. Vawter is a distinguished
Psychiatry Research Professor and Director of the Functional Genomics Laboratory at the University of California,
Irvine. Dr Vawter is also the Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Laguna Diagnostics, LLC. With over
two decades of expertise in psychiatric genetics, Dr. Vawter has made significant contributions to the field, mainly
through his groundbreaking work in transcriptomic analyses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Recognized as a
pioneer in psychiatric genomics, he has published extensively, including seminal research on blood biomarkers in
schizophrenia with substantially advanced diagnostic capabilities. Since founding the Functional Genomics Laboratory
in UC Irvine's School of Medicine in 2000, Dr. Vawter has consistently driven innovation in transcriptomic studies,
producing influential research that continues to shape the field. His extensive experience in psychiatric genomics
and biomarker development uniquely positions him to lead the development and commercialization of cutting-edge
diagnostic solutions. He holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Physiological Psychology from the California State University,
Long Beach, a Master of Science in Education (MS) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern California,
Los Angeles, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology from the California Coast University, Santa Ana. Dr. Vawter
has established a strong foundation in psychiatric genetics. As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Vawter brings both clinical
and research expertise to his work, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the field and providing reassurance of
his competence. See Dr. Vawters resume,
UCI profile,
and publications, which are available upon request.
Terry W. Osborn, PhD, MBA – Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Head of Clinical Research Laguna
Diagnostics, LLC. Dr. Terry W. Osborn is a seasoned executive with over 38 years of leadership experience in the
healthcare and life sciences industries, specializing in startups, corporate turnarounds, and innovation-driven growth.
As the Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Head of Clinical Research at Laguna Diagnostics, LLC, he is recognized
for his customer-focused leadership and unwavering commitment to scientific excellence and data integrity. Dr. Osborn's
contributions to the field include groundbreaking research as part of the NIH’s MicroArray Quality Control (MAQC) project,
where he published seminal work on internal standards and quality-controlled measurement methods for transcript abundance
variations in whole blood samples. His expertise spans stem cell science, genomic biomarkers, formulation development,
manufacturing, and medical diagnostics. In his distinguished career, Dr. Osborn has held numerous executive positions,
including CEO of Gene Expression, where he developed internal standards for PCR gene expression. Founding member of
Heartland BioVentures at the Kansas Bioscience Authority (2009). Board member and turnaround CEO of KCAS
Bioanalytical & Biomarker Services (2009–2016). Chief Operating Officer of WaferGen BioSystems, Inc., where
he played a crucial role in taking the company public (NASDAQ: WGBS). Founding CEO and AbaStar MDx Inc. Board
member, a CNS-focused molecular diagnostics company. Turnaround CEO of Pharmaceutical Development Center (PDC),
a contract formulation, development, and cGMP manufacturing company, now part of AAIPharma. Earlier in his career,
Dr. Osborn gained invaluable experience in research and development, clinical research, manufacturing, clinical
diagnostics, sales & marketing, and business operations at American Hospital Supply Corporation, Eli Lilly
& Company, and Nichols Institute. A veteran of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, he embodies
discipline and strategic vision in every aspect of his work. Dr. Osborn holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University
of California, Riverside, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. His leadership continues to shape innovations in
healthcare diagnostics, ensuring impactful advancements in the mental health field.
Richard G. Morris, PhD – Dr. Morris is the Business Development Advisor at Laguna Diagnostics, LLC.
Dr. Morris brings extensive biomedical instrumentation and biotechnology expertise. A strong academic background in
biochemistry underpins Dr. Morris's career. He began his career at Durrum Instruments (now Dionex Corp., a division
of Thermo Fisher Scientific). Over several years at Dionex, he advanced through increasing responsibility roles,
ultimately serving as Vice President of International Operations. In this capacity, he managed global sales, service,
and operations with full P&L accountability, overseeing subsidiaries across Europe and the Pacific Rim. Notably,
he established and served as the first president of Dionex KK, a subsidiary based in Osaka, Japan. During this
time, he also collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to establish the first service center for a Western
instrumentation company in China, paving the way for a successful operation headquartered in Beijing. Following his
tenure at Dionex, Dr. Morris became Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Molecular Dynamics (now part of GE
Healthcare). He then joined Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (now MilliporeSigma) as President of the Research Products
Division, overseeing a $800 million revenue segment. During his four years in this role, he directed global sales of
catalog research products and led initiatives in salesforce organization, marketing, and service delivery. Dr. Morris
was pivotal in integrating multiple brands into the Research Division, launching the company’s first e-commerce platform,
instituting product management protocols, and opening new markets by licensing cutting-edge products in molecular
biology and related fields. Dr. Morris subsequently served as president of CambridgeSoft Corporation (now part
of PerkinElmer) and was a leader in chemical modeling software and electronic laboratory notebook solutions. He later
assumed the role of CEO at PharmaSeq, a New Jersey-based developer of electronic tags for authentication,
security, and synthetic biology applications. Under his leadership, PharmaSeq was successfully sold to a private
investor group in 2021. As a consultant, Dr. Morris has advised numerous biotechnology companies, including Applied
Biosystems, Akkoni Biosystems, and Pall Corporation. Dr. Morris earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from
Cornell University, during which he was a summer fellow at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. He
holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside.
Michael R. Levin – Chief Financial Officer and a Partner, Laguna Diagnostics, LLC. Michael R. Levin,
a seasoned financial executive, is the Chief Financial Officer and a Partner at Laguna Diagnostics. His extensive experience
and expertise in financial management for early-stage and growth-oriented businesses is a testament to his leadership in
corporate finance. With a strong background in the biotech and related sectors, Mr. Levin has excelled in roles requiring
strategic planning, budgeting, financial reporting, and accounting. His responsibilities include cash management, tax planning,
and oversight of NIH grant budgeting, funding, and compliance reporting. Mr. Levin has a proven track record in securing
start-up venture funding. He has successfully raised capital from angel investors, venture capital firms, and private equity
groups. His experience with leading management consulting firms and finance leadership positions with two publicly traded U.S.
companies further solidified his expertise. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field from the prestigious
University of Chicago, a testament to his academic prowess.
Martin L. Osborn, CISSP,
CSP – Mr. Osborn functions as CIO/CISO at Laguna Diagnostics, LLC.
and has over fifty years of experience in multiple phases of the computer industry for significant industry companies
and innovative system startups, including hardware design, software development, and systems management, and over
twelve years of intensive work in the information security (InfoSec) areas dealing with both Fortunate 500 corporations
and government agencies. Created an Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) production oilwell management startup, VPC89,
LLc., by designing controller hardware, a radio-based IP network, and
wellhead & tank battery control & monitoring software. This system connectivity allows for data collection, exchange,
and analysis, potentially facilitating improvements in productivity and efficiency as well as other economic benefits.
The production well control and software system, VPC89, saved the Field Operation Managers a vast amount of travel time
to each oil well and helped prevent costly unintended oil field spills.
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