With an eye toward possible expansion of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, new spinoffs and possibly new hires down the road, longtime researcher and academic Dr. Lon Cardon will take the helm as president and CEO of the seven-year-old growing facility on Nov. 29.
The 56-year-old Cardon who is currently the chief science strategic officer of California-based BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. will replace current president and CEO Dr. Edison Liu.
While New Haven is known as the state’s bioscience epicenter, Greater Hartford has its share of successful healthcare-related companies. Two leaders in this arena are accomplished geneticist Charles Lee, of the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, and Eric Rosow, CEO of Diameter Health, both of which are based in Farmington.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that hit Connecticut back in March 2020, Jackson Lab’s Farmington operations, led by Lee, have been key to the state’s response effort.
Jackson Lab, or “Jax” for short, was an integral part of Connecticut’s early in-state diagnostic testing efforts, and Lee also served on Gov. Ned Lamont’s reopening advisory committee that helped lay out the staggered easing of restrictions that took place last spring and summer.