KANSAS CITY, Kan., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- IBT Reference Laboratory, an international allergy and immunology laboratory that specializes in contract research for pharmaceutical development, recently named Michelle Hunter, Ph.D., M.B.A. as vice president of sales, marketing and corporate development. Dr. Hunter, a seasoned clinical research scientist and pharmaceutical executive, is responsible for guiding the company’s business development and marketing initiatives, building strategic industry relationships and generating international market awareness. She is also charged with spearheading the expansion of IBT’s clinical trial testing services that target the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and contract research markets.
“Dr. Hunter brings to IBT a unique blend of clinical research and executive leadership experience in the global pharmaceutical industry,” said John F. Halsey, Ph.D., the company’s president and chief executive officer. “IBT will leverage her vast expertise across these disciplines to meet the explosive market demand for contract immunology research and testing. Dr. Hunter’s broad perspective and knowledge of the industry will enable us to develop and deliver new solutions that further help our clients streamline their R&D processes, reduce development costs and bring drugs to market faster.”
Dr. Hunter’s pharmaceutical industry experience includes seven years in strategic account sales and executive sales management at PRA International, a global contract research organization, which culminated in the position of vice president of global business development. Most recently, she held the position of vice president of global business development and marketing at Focus Bio-Inova, Inc., a specialty microbiology and central laboratory serving the international pharmaceutical market. In a clinical capacity, Dr. Hunter was integral in the global clinical development of two neuroscience compounds at Bristol-Myers Squibb. She has also held research scientist positions at the University of Connecticut and held an adjunct faculty position in the university’s psychology department for eight years.
“Dr. Hunter is a dynamic professional with a proven track record of successfully developing and delivering clinical research and laboratory services,” said David Parker, IBT’s chairman and general partner of Ampersand Ventures in Wellesley, Massachusetts. “She is a welcome asset to IBT’s executive team because she brings with her the trifecta of scientific knowledge, industry experience and visionary business strategy. The board is confident that she will secure IBT’s position as the global leader in molecular and cellular immunology services for sponsors of new biotherapeutics.”
Dr. Hunter holds a Ph.D. in psychology with a concentration in neurobiology and an M.S. in psychology from the University of Connecticut. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Connecticut Health Center and holds an M.B.A. from the global OneMBA(R) program at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
About IBT Reference Laboratory
IBT Reference Laboratory (IBT) is an international allergy and immunology laboratory specializing in both contract research for pharmaceutical development and reference laboratory services for diagnostic testing. The company also develops custom assays for validation of biomarkers, cytokine expression, vaccine efficacy and innate immunity function. As the premier provider of esoteric molecular and cellular immunology services in the U.S., IBT serves some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in vitro diagnostic firms, contract research organizations (CROs) and central labs. The company delivers research, testing and assay development services to support all phases of drug development, from exploratory testing to Phase IV clinical trials. Additionally, IBT offers hospitals, universities, clinical labs and physicians the widest range of diagnostic allergy and immunology tests available from a single provider. IBT’s research-based philosophy, coupled with its expertise in immunology, immunotoxicology, custom immunoassay development, allergy diagnostics, immunogenicity, immune monitoring, cellular immunology and immunogenomics enable it to deliver the world’s most advanced and comprehensive immunodiagnostic services.
Founded in 1983, IBT is privately-held and centrally headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. The company’s state-of-the-art laboratory features advanced instrumentation for flow cytometry, ELISPOT, microarray testing, ImmunoCAP allergy, PCR, SNP, cell culture and T cell function testing. IBT’s strategic Midwest location enables fast, convenient shipping of time- and temperature-sensitive specimens anywhere in the world. For information about IBT and its services, please visit http://www.ibtreflab.com or call 1.800.637.0370 (inside the U.S.) or + 1.913.492.2224.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Denise McFadden Amy Zucker Synergy Marketing Group, Inc. Synergy Marketing Group, Inc. (317) 205-9690 ext. 5 (317) 205-9690 ext. 2 denise@synergy-mg.comamy@synergy-mg.com
IBT Reference Laboratory
CONTACT: Denise McFadden, +1-317-205-9690 ext. 5, denise@synergy-mg.com ,or Amy Zucker, +1-317-205-9690 ext. 2, amy@synergy-mg.com , both of SynergyMarketing Group, Inc., for IBT Reference Laboratory
Web site: http://www.ibtreflab.com/
