About Immunexpress
Immunexpress is developing technology to accurately rule-in or rule-out sepsis in patients suspected of infection.
Lack of reliable diagnostics leads to the over-treatment of sepsis, creating an overwhelming burden to healthcare systems, hospitals, clinicians,
nurses, payers and antibiotic stewardship efforts.
Our goal is to transform sepsis diagnostics by providing clinicians with the technology to rapidly enable and confidently make the right treatment decisions. 
Immunexpress was founded in Australia in 2006 with the exclusive purpose of developing and commercializing SeptiCyte® technology. Immunexpress is a privately-owned company with offices in Seattle, USA, and Brisbane, Australia. Immunexpress’ products are based on patented host immune response technologies validated in large human clinical trials around the globe.
Executive Team
Rolland Carlson
CEO – BA, MS, PhD
Over 25 years’ experience – business and new product development, global commercial and general management in biotechnology. President and CEO of WaferGen Biosystems; President and CEO of Asuragen Inc., a molecular diagnostic company. Vice President for Abbott Laboratories Inc., responsible for business development and licensing. Vice President and General Manager in Molecular Diagnostic Business for Vysis Inc.
Roy Davis
Chief Medical Officer – MD, PhD, MHA
30 years’ experience – clinical medicine (Neonatal, Pediatric Critical Care) and hospital administration. Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington. Consultant in health care standards and quality of care delivered. CMO at Providence Alaska assisted in the implementation of MEWS and sepsis surveillance algorithms using the Microsoft Amalga platform across Providence Health & Services. Won a national Microsoft Healthcare innovation award for work with MEWS in 2012.
Richard Brandon
Chief Scientific Officer – BVSc (Hons), PhD, MBA
35 years’ experience – veterinary immunologist, molecular biologist, pathologist, animal and human healthcare R&D executive: Cornell, Sloan Kettering Cancer Research, University of Queensland, various private pathology laboratories, Genetrax, Plasvacc, BioNiche. A listed inventor on most Immunexpress patents; architect of IP strategy.
Jane Papadaki Markley
Vice President, Market Development and Commercial Operations
30 years’ experience – global clinical Dx marketplace and biotech with commercial leadership roles launching products and services for infectious disease and immunology at Quest Diagnostics and then assays for oncology and genetic diseases at Qiagen and Asuragen and automation and genomic applications at Takara Bio. Successfully pioneered new technologies for emerging pathogens and new biomarkers through surmounting barriers to market entry, creating new markets through distributor networks and/or building and leading commercial teams and setting new standards for clinical diagnosis in Lyme borreliosis, C.pneumoniae, BCR/ABL and Fragile X.
Silvia Cermelli
Director, Clinical Operations – PhD (Cell Biology)
20 years’ experience – cell and molecular biologist, clinical research and product development management, biomarker discovery and validation, targeted cancer therapy identification – Principal Scientist and Scientific Advisor (Cell System Corporation), Postdoctoral Research Associate and Fellow (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center). Received a PhD in cell biology from the University of California (Irvine). Certified as Clinical Professional by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). Current Board of Directors member of BioPharma PM.
LaKesha Hunt-Dickens
15 years’ experience – medical device, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and defense. Compliance, Quality Management Systems, regulatory affairs, risk management, and business process improvement experience at ThermoFisher Scientific and BioVeris. MBA and a MS in Biotechnology from the University of Maryland UC.
James Kirk
Director, Product Development – PhD (Bioengineering), BSE (Biomedical Engineering)
10 years’ experience - IVD development, program management, biosensor technologies, microfluidic systems, host response and biocompatibility. Product development scientist (Immunexpress); PhD Bioengineering - University of Washington; BSE Biomedical Engineering, Economics Minor - Case Western Reserve University. Co-innovator of a novel technology platform for blood group testing licensed by the University of Washington to SiDx Inc.
Greg Uhl
Director, Finance - BS (Accounting), MPAcc (Audit and Assurance)
15 years’ experience – corporate finance, accounting and assurance. Oversight over GAAP reporting, development of technical accounting policies and ICFR. Financial Controller (Immunexpress); Controller (GroupAero), Audit Manager (PricewaterhouseCoopers, RSM). Masters of Professional Accounting – University of Washington.
Thomas Yager
Director, Research & Development – BA, MS, PhD
30 years’ experience. University of Oregon, Weizmann Institute, Kings College London, Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto), and cross-appointment to Dept. Molecular/Medical Genetics, University of Toronto. Broad industry experience in biomarker discovery, development & validation of molecular diagnostic assays; multiple regulatory submissions in USA, Canada and Europe.
Board of Directors
Robert Lilley
Chairman – BA (Yale)
40 years’ experience - SVP, Global Sales & Marketing for Digene Corp from IPO to acquisition by QIAGEN NV (in 2007) creating market & technology leader in molecular Dx. Then, Senior Advisor/Molecular Diagnostics for Developing World at QIAGEN. Consultant to John D Rockefeller 3rd Fund, 23andMe, ImpediMed Pty Ltd, Vertex Pharma, OpGen.
Rolland Carlson
CEO – BA, MS, PhD
Over 25 years’ experience – business and new product development, global commercial and general management in biotechnology. President and CEO of WaferGen Biosystems; President and CEO of Asuragen Inc., a molecular diagnostic company. Vice President for Abbott Laboratories Inc., responsible for business development and licensing. Vice President and General Manager in Molecular Diagnostic Business for Vysis Inc.
Greg Brown
Non-Executive Director – BAppSc, MBA
35 years’ experience – medical devices and in-vitro-diagnostics. International roles for Baxter Diagnostics (Australia & UK), Senior Global Marketing Manager for Roche Molecular Systems, VP Global Strategic Marketing for Digene Corp., and MD for ImpediMed Limited. Presently Chairman & CEO of StraxCorp Pty. Ltd.. Board experience includes: StraxCorp, Minomic, UniQuest, CRC for Diagnostics, Trinity Biotech, Minomic.
Tom Gibbs
Non-Executive Director – BSc, PhD
30 years’ international experience with responsibility for operations, marketing, business development and investment in both start-ups and established life science companies, including Molecular Devices Corp, Covalys, Med Discovery, Debiopharm. Presently Director at Debiopharm Innovation Fund, Switzerland. Current and recent board experience includes BC Platforms, Kaiku Health, Biocartis, GenePOC.
Katleen Verleysen
Non-Executive Director – MSc, PhD
15 years’ experience – medical devices and diagnostics. CEO of CellSeeQ, CEO, COO and Vice President of Operations and Technology at Pronota. Founding scientist and Group Leader of Analytical Department at U.S.-based biotech company Serenex, acquired by Pfizer in 2008. Served on boards as chair of the Center for Medical Innovation and PharmaFluidics.