
Director of Laboratories, Aureon Laboratories, Inc.
Greater New York City Area

Director of Laboratories, Aureon Laboratories, Inc.
Greater New York City Area
Dr. DiComo is Director of Laboratories at Aureon Laboratories, Inc. Charles has been with Aureon since its inception in 2001 and was instrumental in the original design and build-out of the Corporate Offices and CLIA-certified/CAP-accredited Clinical Laboratories, including the Prognostic/Diagnostic Services and R&D facilities. He has also been involved in the launch of their two Prognostic tests for Prostate Cancer leveraging Aureon's patented Systems Pathology technology, as well as their diagnostic and second opinion services.
He has over 15 years of experience in the academic and medical research field, including a wide range of technical expertise in laboratory design, permitting, and construction. Charles holds a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, an M.S. in Molecular and Cellular Genetics (both from Long Island University), as well as a Ph.D. in Genetics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Specialties: Commercial Diagnostic/Prognostic Operations; Corporate Compliance, Regulatory and Quality Systems; Laboratory Design, Permitting and Construction; Contract Negotiation; Intellectual Property Filings and Prosecution; Research and Development in Signal Transduction and Tumor Suppressor Pathways; Grant and Publication writing.
(Privately Held; Biotechnology industry)
March 2002 — Present (7 years 9 months)
Oversees the day-to-day operations of the commercial Clinical Prognostic/Diagnostic Services Laboratories; developed the requisite logistics/protocols/procedures/forms for the launch of Aureon’s clinical prognostic/diagnostic tests; works closely with Sales organization to insure maximum sales penetration of tests, including Prostate Px and Px+; responsible for hiring/training Lab staff required to execute prognostic/diagnostic services, as well as budget/P&L responsibilities for the division, including contract/license/supply negotiation; responsible for Laboratory infrastructure; assists in Project Management with external collaborators, insuring quality compliance/maintenance of time lines established for each project; instrumental in Aureon being awarded national accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), a NYS DOH Clinical Lab permit, as well as CLIA-certification (6 years running - zero deficiencies).
(Non-Profit; 5001-10,000 employees; Hospital & Health Care industry)
May 2000 — February 2002 (1 year 10 months)
At MSKCC, Dr. DiComo served as Laboratory Head & Research Associate in the Division of Molecular Pathology as a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Research Special Fellow. In this capacity, Charles managed and coordinated day-to-day operations of the molecular and histopathology laboratory alongside Dr. Carlos Cordon-Cardo, assisted in the scientific direction of Post-Doctoral Fellows, Graduate Students, and Technicians, conducted Independent Research as part of the New York p53 Consortium, and was active in developing state-of-the-art molecular pathology methodologies.
(Educational Institution; Research industry)
May 1996 — April 2000 (4 years )
Dr. DiComo was a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Fellow at Columbia University in the Department of Biological under the tutelage of Dr. Carol Prives. In this capacity, he conducted independent research with a dedicated Graduate Student and Research Technician; was granted ~450 sq/ft Laboratory space by the Department of Biological Sciences and Principal Investigator; reviewed manuscripts; published in peer-reviewed Journals; and coordinated of the Departmental Post-Doctoral Fellow Society.
(Non-Profit; Research industry)
August 1989 — December 1991 (2 years 5 months)
Responsible for Independent Research Projects; presentation of weekly results during a Five-Laboratory Group Meeting; maintained laboratory equipment and managed PM contracts and service agreements; coordinated inter-laboratory softball and volleyball tournaments; participated in charity golf tournaments at Bethpage State Park Golf Course.
PhD , Molecular and Cellular Genetics , 1992 — 1996
• Certificate of Merit, Pharmacia Biotech & Science Prize for Young Scientists, 1997
• Sigma Xi Award for Excellence in Research, Ph.D. dissertation, 1996
“Nutrient Signaling Pathway Causes Tap42 to Bind to Type 2A PPAses”
• Associate Member, Sigma Xi, S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook, 1996
MS , Molecular and Cellular Biology , 1988 — 1989
Entered into the Accelerated Master's Program, received MS in 1 year; included Independent Research and Laboratory bench work in the Life Sciences labs of Dr. Kamalendu Nath; undertaking studies to resolve the genetic make up of Gardnerella vaginalis present in bacterial vaginosis (BV). Later collaborations with Dr. Nath led to publications studying the effects of ethidium bromide and SYBR Green I on different polymerase chain reaction systems.
BS , Genetics , 1984 — 1988
Entered as an Honor Student, AP credits-Sophomore, pre-Med Major, Genetics Minor. Active in laboratory bench work from second semester, changed to Genetics as Major working in Dr. Nath's lab, broad science courses and humanities, part time work in Library Reference department, member of Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity.
Sailboat Racing, NY Times Crossword Puzzles, Music, Strategic Philanthropy, Philately, Numismatics
American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), American Philatelic Society (APS), British North American Philatelic Society (BNAPS), Carriers & Locals Society (C&LS), The Collectors Club (CC), Empire State Postal History Society (ESPHS), Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC), National Postal Museum (NPM), New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA), Smithsonian Institute (SI), Sigma Xi, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society (USPCS), USPCS - NY Chapter, U.S. Stamp Society (USSS), World Stamp Show - NY 2016 (WSS-NY2016)
* Research Special Fellow Award, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2000-2003
(http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/attachments/National/Annual_Report_2000_Final.pdf)
* Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1997-2000
(http://216.235.201.218/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=281#d)
* Certificate of Merit, Pharmacia Biotech & Science Prize for Young Scientists, 1997
* Sigma Xi Award for Excellence in Research, Ph.D. dissertation, 1996
“Nutrient Signaling Pathway Causes Tap42 to Bind to Type 2A PPAses”