Business development is such an important aspect for any company and generating the right style for your market is essential if your business is to be successful and continue to grow. At Gentronix, our approach to all aspects of our business is science focussed, and business development, sales or simply talking with our clients is no different. In fact, it’s absolutely essential.

From the early days when we established a novel and disruptive technology, telling someone the price and how much money the technology could save them was never the element that drove interest. It was always why the technology worked, what outcome the change in the GADD45a gene used in BlueScreen HC meant, how such that could inform on decisions surrounding project progression etc., which stimulated our client’s interest and then led to subsequent discussions on contracts. Operating in an area where the outcome of a study often determines whether a programme survives, such is the impact of a positive result for mutagenicity, means that the people presenting the services need to understand the ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘what does the data mean’; just as much as the Study Director and laboratory team delivering the results. Sales as such doesn’t work in toxicology space, it needs to be led by well-informed scientists, with a knowledge, experience and a real passion to support our clients. That approach has been a key element to our success.

At Gentronix, our BD team is led by Matt Tate, our Managing Director. After joining the business as a lab scientist, working on development of GreenScreen HC and BlueScreen HC, implementation of Flow cytometric MNT and studying for a PhD in genetic tox, he retains a keen interest in the application of toxicology testing to support clients develop safer chemicals. Working with our strategic accounts, and also focussing on our new services such as skin corrosion, irritation and sensitisation, Matt’s passion for toxicology research and delivery of high quality science is a key driver for our continued growth and success.

Working alongside Matt are Paul Rawlinson and Elias Halkes-Wellstead.

Paul is the Lead Toxicologist at Gentronix. Paul’s background is regulatory toxicology and study management within multinational cosmetic and agrichemical companies, within general and genetic toxicology space. He’s covered anything from screening Ames tests, in vitro micronucleus test studies and through to GLP OECD 471, MLA and OECD 474 studies. This >10 years industry experience means Paul is fantastically placed to work with our clients across industries, advising on regulatory guideline requirements, the best options for managing and investigating potential chemistry liabilities and what follow-up tests are needed when an unexpected positive result comes along. This industrial experience adds real value to the work we do with our clients.

Elias has recently joined Gentronix, following completion of his Masters in Genetic Toxicology, with a focus on cGAS-STING activation following micronuclei formation alongside computational multivariate bench-mark dose response modelling. Afterwards, he transitioned to a sales-based role for a genomic stabilisation devices company based in Ottawa, Canada. His experience gained through his research means he is well placed to support our clients in the early high-throughput screening assay stage, optimising approaches so that they both deliver prediction of mutagens, clastogens and aneugens through techniques such as out 24-well Ames and 96-well MNT + FISH, but also that these are appropriate for prediction of the regulatory battery assay such as OECD 471 Ames, OECD 487 MNT and OECD 474. Understanding how data can be used to model risk assessment approaches, combined with a real interest in the toxicology space we operate in is proving hugely valuable to our clients.

To contact @Paul Rawlinson and @Elias Halkes-Wellstead click here.