Quadrant Biosciences hires Romano to lead lab-testing division

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Quadrant Biosciences Inc., a molecular diagnostics company, announced that it has appointed Rita Romano as president of its newly created Quadrant Laboratories LLC division.

She will mainly be responsible for spearheading the growth of Quadrant’s growing laboratory diagnostics business, which includes the opening of a new lab in partnership with SUNY and Upstate Medical University. The company’s Clarifi COVID-19 saliva test, co-developed by Upstate Medical, received emergency use authorization by the FDA in September 2020. It is currently ranked as the most sensitive COVID-19 saliva test currently on the market, Quadrant Biosciences said.

Romano brings 30 years of clinical laboratory experience to Quadrant, most recently as director of the Operations Center at Laboratory Alliance of CNY, per a company news release. In this role, she helped oversee clinical laboratory services that performed more than 10 million tests a year. She has also served as president of the Central New York Chapter of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association and chair of the membership committee.

Romano earned her bachelor’s degree in medical technology and her master’s degree in strategic leadership from St. Bonaventure University.

“Providing access to accurate and reliable testing for COVID-19 is vital to public health and economic stability,” Romano said of her decision to join Quadrant Biosciences. “Quadrant’s ability to redirect their focus to develop one of the highest ranked COVID-19 assays in support of both is remarkable and I am excited to join this dynamic team.”

Quadrant Biosciences says it is a life science company developing epigenetic diagnostic solutions for large-scale health issues. The firm participates in the START-UP NY initiative, a New York State economic-development program.