BOULDER, Colo., March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Sciona, an international, privately held biotechnology company that is a world leader in the area of genetic personalization, has hired Stephen Benoit as vice president of sales and marketing and Tod Kimbell, Ph.D., as director of business development.
Prior to joining Sciona, Benoit was a co-founder of NanoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a nanoparticle-based advanced drug delivery company. Previously, he was vice president and general manager for Kellogg's natural and functional foods division. Before being recruited to Kellogg, he was vice president of marketing and sales for AMBI, Inc., an ingredient manufacturer and pharmaceutical developer, and vice president of marketing for Calgene Fresh, Inc., a subsidiary of a leading biotechnology company. Benoit received his MBA in Finance from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Kimbell offers Sciona a diverse technical and business background in the life sciences industry. Prior to joining Sciona, he held management positions in product development at Whole Foods, in technical sales at C.V. Technologies and in business development at Pyxant Laboratories. Kimbell also served as a director for the Institute of Nutraceutical Advancement. He received his doctorate in geochemistry from the University of Texas at Dallas.
"With the additions of Stephen and Tod, we've continued to strengthen our management team to support Sciona's rapid market penetration," said James Bruce, president and CEO of Sciona. "Sciona is pleased to have attracted such well-regarded and experienced professionals in the areas of life sciences and consumer marketing."
Sciona develops DNA screens for common gene variants that affect an individual's health and that can be positively influenced with nutrition. These genetic screens, combined with diet and lifestyle advice, serve as the basis for personalized, science-based health and lifestyle recommendations to consumers and can help companies customize personal care and nutrition products. Sciona's field of genetic personalization is a rapidly growing discipline aimed at optimal health by creating products and services tailored to an individual's genetic makeup.
In addition to its genetic personalization work, Sciona provides research capabilities for large food, nutritional supplement and functional food companies interested in analyzing particular product ingredients as they relate to the normal genetic variations found in healthy individuals. This type of research makes it possible to greatly increase product effectiveness by introducing unparalleled product personalization.
The Cellf(TM) genetic screen gives consumers nutritional guidelines -- based on individual genetic profiles -- to empower individuals to make better health decisions specific to their individual genetic makeup. The Cellf kit includes genetic information on the following health conditions: insulin sensitivity, B-vitamin metabolism, detoxification, heart and bone health, antioxidant metabolism and inflammation.
For more information about Sciona, visit http://www.sciona.com/ or call 303-442-4300.
Sciona