MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS

About Us

The CRL Molecular Diagnostics business unit is comprised of a talented staff of scientists with a broad range of expertise to support customer needs:

Heather Newkirk , PhD.
Executive Director of Molecular Diagnostics

Dr. Heather Newkirk joined CRL in 2008 and supports CRL’s new business development initiatives which include Molecular Diagnostics. Dr. Newkirk brings extensive experience in both laboratory management and new assay development. Her most recent experience was as Executive Director of the Genomics Laboratory at Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics. In addition to managing the laboratory, she conducted research centered on genomics technologies for diagnosis of patients with chromosomal abnormalities. Prior to that, she managed the molecular biology and microarray facilities at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.

Steve Dunham
Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Supervisor

Mr. Dunham joined CRL in 1995. Mr. Dunham has over thirty years of experience in clinical laboratory medicine and environmental chemistry. Following a tour in Vietnam, he served as a Medical Laboratory Procedures Specialist at Brook Army Medical Center. After receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Military, Mr. Dunham earned his BA in Chemistry from UMKC. His analytical experience includes Gas, Liquid and Thin Layer Chromatography, Mass Spectroscopy, Gel and Capillary Electrophoresis, Radioimmunoassay, ELISA, Cell Receptor Assays, Flow Cytometry, Sequencing, Real Time PCR, and Hybridization Assays.

Jill Hontz, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist

Dr. Jill Hontz joined Clinical Reference Laboratory in 2009 as a staff scientist in the Molecular Diagnostics division. She received her interdisciplinary PhD in Molecular Biology and Biophysics and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry in 2007 from University of Missouri Kansas City. Following graduation she completed two postdoctoral positions, at the University of Washington-Seattle then at the University of Missouri Kansas City. She has extensive experience characterizing virulent bacteria including but not limited to Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Dr. Hontz has wide-ranging skills in protein science including protein purification, crystallization, protein-protein interactions, Flow Cytometry, HPLC, FPLC and NMR. In addition, she has over 10 years experience using molecular techniques which include DNA cloning, enzymatic kinetics analysis, PCR, microarray and DNA mutagenesis. Dr. Hontz lives in Lee's Summit MO and is a wife and proud mother of two boys.

Ray Hein, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist

Dr. Raymond Hein joined Clinical Reference Laboratory in 2003 as a research scientist in the Molecular Diagnostics division. He has overseen the development, validation and implementation of several assays to monitor viral loads related to drug development clinical trials. He has also served as the production manager since 2007 overseeing all laboratory operations including HLA genetic typing for organ transplant. Dr. Hein has as over ten years experience designing and validating Real-time PCR assays related to DNA quantification and mutation analysis. He also has twenty years extensive experience utilizing DNA sequencing methods which include slab gel and capillary electrophoresis. These assays include the development of testing procedures related to genetic disorders including PKD and obesity.

Leena Kumar, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist

Dr. Kumar joined Clinical Reference Laboratory in 2009 as a staff scientist in the Molecular Diagnostic division. She has a broad range of academic and industrial experience in Molecular Biology, Cell biology and Biochemistry. Before joining CRL she worked for Aptuit, Inc; prior to that she was with University of Kansas Medical Center, Texas A&M College of Medicine, and Texas A&M Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Kumar has over 10 years of biomedical research experience in metabolic studies, stem cell research, and drug development studies. She has worked as primary scientist for multiple R&D projects and has involved in the development and validation of several assays including Real time PCR and microarrays.

John Holtzclaw
Senior Research Associate

John Holtzclaw joined CRL in 2005 upon graduation from The University of Kansas Medical Center with a degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and a specialty in Molecular Biotechnology.  He performed manual biomarker analysis, manual assay development, and method validations for the CRL Clinical Trials department prior to joining the CRL Molecular Diagnostics division in 2008.  His background and experience includes Radioimmunoassay, ELISA, GCMS, HPLC, DNA/RNA extractions, gene splicing & recombination, protein manipulation, DNA sequencing, RT-PCR, and hybridizations.