Anna Hurlock, recent PhD graduate, joins biotech company BioFire Diagnostics

Anna Hurlock, a recent PhD graduate from the lab of Christoph Benning, is joining the Utah-based company, BioFire Diagnostics, as a Clinical Affairs Scientist.

Located in Salt Lake City, BioFire specializes in creating clinical diagnostic technologies that can accurately and rapidly identify a wide range of infections, from respiratory and gastrointestinal, to meningitis and blood diseases.

In her role, Anna will lead a science team that helps R&D assess the accuracy of the technologies by running comparative tests using the same samples from external clinical trials. Anna will then analyze that data and write up reports that are used for the FDA and other regulatory and approval processes.

Anna earned her Bachelors in Biochemistry at Purdue University, where she worked for four years in the lab of Clint Chapple, a former PRL post-doc. She came to the MSU at the recommendation of her mentor, and she eventually joined the Benning lab, where she studied chloroplast lipid import and metabolism. Her PhD degree is from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

“I am thankful for all of the opportunities provided to me during my time at MSU which have made following a path like this possible,” Anna says. “Christoph and the people in the Benning lab have provided me with the support to pursue my chosen career path, and the PRL has been the perfect collaborative environment to carry out my doctoral research.”

Christoph Benning, Anna’s mentor, says, “A PhD in plant biochemistry can open up many career opportunities. I am confident that Anna has a great management career in the biotech industry ahead of her using the skills she learned at MSU, and I expect her to be a role model for others to follow.”

Congratulations and good luck, Anna!