Vandalia Research
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Vandalia Research, Inc. is a life sciences research company based in Huntington, West Virginia. Vandalia is commercializing novel biotechnology instrumentation and advanced biotechnology manufacturing techniques, specifically in the application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to large scale DNA production.
Vandalia's flagship technology is the Triathlon Thermal Cycler. Over the past two years, researchers have developed an innovative system and process (patent pending) for the mass production of specific DNA sequences by PCR.
Vandalia Research began as a class project by two software engineering students to meet a challenge given them by Dr. Elizabeth Murray of the IST department at Marshall University. Though PCR is a widely used process for DNA manufacturing, current production technologies are based on technology that was originally designed for analytical methods. Dr. Murray encouraged the students to invent a new method for amplifying DNA that would be suitable for large scale production. The students responded to this request by inventing the Triathlon, a novel amplification device that was designed to provide continuous flow DNA production. The project was funded for two years by the WV EPSCoR and NCIIA programs and became a commercial venture in September 2005 when the team raised nearly $1,000,000 in seed funding from local investors to create Vandalia Research, Inc. and commercialize the Triathlon thermal cycler. The company currently has seven employees and is located in downtown Huntington, WV.
[edit] References
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