BOSTON — Atrandi Biosciences has appointed Sam Ropp, PhD, as chief commercial officer and Susan Tousi as chairman of its board of directors as the company looks to expand global adoption of its single-cell and multiomics research platform.
The Boston-based life science tools company is developing Semi-Permeable Capsule, or SPC, technology for single-cell analysis. Atrandi said the platform is designed to support complex, multi-step molecular workflows at single-cell resolution, offering an alternative to traditional droplet-based approaches.
“The deep expertise and proven leadership Sam and Susan bring in commercial strategy and operational excellence will be instrumental as we accelerate our mission to make complex single-cell experiments practical, repeatable, and accessible in everyday laboratories,” said Juozas Nainys, PhD, Chief Executive Officer at Atrandi Biosciences. “Sam’s experience scaling innovative life science platforms and Susan’s strategic insight into global market development will help us bring SPC technology to scientists worldwide.”
Ropp will oversee Atrandi’s global commercial strategy, including sales, service, field applications, marketing and strategic partnerships. He brings more than 20 years of experience in life science technology and previously held senior roles at Singular Genomics, 10x Genomics, BD, Molecular Devices and Bio-Rad Laboratories.
“I’m excited to join Atrandi at a moment when single-cell analysis can move beyond single-modality experiments toward a more integrated, multiomic understanding of what’s driving biology,” said Dr. Ropp. “Scientists’ understanding of single-cell biology has long been constrained by the limitations of existing workflows. SPC technology unlocks a level of experimental flexibility that scientists simply haven’t had with traditional single-cell approaches. Our focus now is building the commercial engine and partnerships that bring that capability to labs around the world.”
Tousi joins the board with more than three decades of experience in imaging, genomics, diagnostics and biotechnology. She is currently CEO of Delfi Diagnostics and previously served as chief commercial officer and senior vice president and chief product officer at Illumina. She has also been inducted into the National Academy of Engineering.
“The demand for more flexible and scalable single-cell analysis technologies continues to grow globally, and Atrandi’s proprietary SPC technology offers significant advantages over existing droplet-based and other single-cell analysis platforms,” said Ms. Tousi. “I look forward to working with the board and leadership team to help Atrandi scale strategically and translate its technological leadership into broader adoption across research and translational applications.”
Atrandi said its SPC technology uses microcapsules made of a liquid core surrounded by a thin hydrogel shell. The design allows smaller molecules, including salts, buffers, enzymes, primers and antibodies, to pass through the capsule shell while keeping cells, genomic DNA and larger molecular complexes contained.
The company said the approach allows researchers to wash, exchange and stage multiple biochemical reactions while preserving single-cell identity. Atrandi said the platform is intended to combine the flexibility of well-based workflows with the throughput of droplet-based systems for single-cell research.
