About
Genetic Foundations
Company
Overview
Genetic
Foundations is privately held and located in Philomath, Oregon, near the campus of Oregon State University. Dr. David
E. Harry, President and Founder, began Genetic Foundations on the belief
that the growing availability and awareness of genetics and genomics
would stimulate the need for ready access to expertise in these fast-moving
areas. Our guiding philosophy is that whatever your need for genetics
expertise, Genetic Foundations can help you identify the best approach,
get you started, and provide expert assistance along your path. Some
customers are large companies who occasionally require specialized expertise
in certain areas. Other customers include smaller companies or individuals
who require assistance in carrying out genetic tests or interpreting
test results.
Dr.
David E. Harry, President and Founder
With more
than 30 years of experience in plant and animal genetics, Dr. Harry
brings a wealth of knowledge to Genetic Foundations. He has a track
record of successfully designing and implementing genetic programs,
developing novel assays, and analyzing and interpreting genetic data
of various types. Dr. Harry founded Genetic Foundations in 2003.
Prior to
Genetic Foundations, Dr. Harry worked as Director of Plant and Animal
Genetics for a small biotech startup in the Bay Area. For eight years,
he also worked as Molecular Geneticist for a major international poultry
breeding company where he honed his skills in the areas of molecular
breeding and in research management and coordination. During this time,
he also continued to apply skills in quantitative and population genetics,
conventional breeding, and quantitative analyses and information technologies.
In 1999,
for example, Dr. Harry established and managed a high throughput genotyping
facility where he designed and implemented a program of marker-accelerated
breeding to produce new commercial breeding lines. By using DNA markers,
line development was reduced by 1-2 generations relative to conventional
breeding.
While conducting
research in collaboration with the US Forest Service (1992-1998), Dr.
Harry led the development of a novel approach to assay single-nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) in conifers to accelerate genetic mapping in these
economically important tree species. This technique is still being actively
used today.
While on
the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1987-1992),
Dr. Harry's research was instrumental in establishing that conifer genomes
contain an unexpectedly large number of complex gene families. One of
these gene families, alcohol dehydrogenase, was subsequently found to
exhibit novel physiological and biochemical functions in trees relative
to herbaceous plants.
As a graduate
student and a postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Harry helped pioneer the
implementation of novel genetic manipulations and assays in conifers.
Dr. Harry
is the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific
publications, and he has also delivered many technical and scientific
presentations at trade shows, customer meetings, and scientific organizations.
Dr. Harry's scientific expertise and judgment has been sought out through
service on several USDA (NRI) panels, as well as frequent reviewer of
proposals and manuscripts.
