Focused on molecular liquid biopsy cancer diagnostics since 2014
Wren Laboratories is a CAP and CLIA-certified clinical testing and R&D laboratory established in 2014. The laboratory was founded as a commercial extension of their decades of academic and medical research into non-invasive liquid biopsy tests for a wide variety of cancers and other diseases that can be detected and better understood via molecular biomarkers such as mRNA.
Our Mission
When it comes to managing cancer, knowledge is power.
At Wren Laboratories, our liquid biopsy-based diagnostics use molecular science to uncover precise information about cancer in real time, enhancing pathology and imaging. We help oncologists clarify cancer diagnoses so they can recommend, manage, and monitor treatment better.
Our Values
Focused on Science, Innovation, and Collaboration
Be it blood or saliva, our molecular cancer diagnostics provide actionable disease information in real-time.
Committed to Science
We are committed to scientific discipline and harnessing the benefits of rigorously applied molecular science.
A Pioneering Spirit
To combat cancer effectively, an innovative approach is essential, leveraging cutting-edge applications and techniques.
True Collaborators
We know managing cancer requires inspired teamwork. We are open, connected, and fully collaborative.
Excellence throughout Execution
We seek excellence across all phases of our operations: research, clinical testing, and data analysis.
Focused on Success
The stakes could not be higher in our space; our principal focus is to positively impact the lives of cancer patients.
Company Milestones
History of Wren Laboratories
Laboratory establishment, Branford, Connecticut.
Clinical laboratory certification in Connecticut, CLIA license for the NETest.
California Department of Health Permit - NETest.
New York State Department of Health Permit – NETest.
Development of the PPQ – PRRT Predictive Quotient.
Set-up of NETesting at Sarah Cannon, UK.
FDA-EUA for nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.
FDA-EUA for COVID-19 PCR saliva testing.
Development of an at-home saliva collection kit.
CAP certification.
Development of the PROSTest – a molecular genomic assay for prostate cancers.
Creators of The NETest
The first commercial offering from Wren Laboratories was the NETest, an in vitro blood-based liquid biopsy that assesses the targeted gene expression profile of mRNA isolated from peripheral blood to diagnose neuroendocrine tumors. Since its availability in October 2014, oncologists have utilized our test over 10,000 times to assist in characterizing neuroendocrine tumors, recommending treatment, and monitoring tumor behavior during recovery.
Credentials & Licenses
CAP #8640840
CLIA # 07D2081388
State of Connecticut Clinical
Laboratory License CL-0996
New York State Department of Health
Clinical Laboratory Permit PFI: 9138
Florida State License 800027786, certificate 101250
Pennsylvania State Laboratory ID: 34347
California State Laboratory ID: COS00800634
Meet the team
Our Key Personnel
Irvin M. Modlin
Founder, Clinical and Scientific Consultant
Irvin M. Modlin, MD, Ph.D., DSc, an expert in the area of Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) disease, is the Medical Director of Wren Laboratories and is a Clinical Consultant to the testing laboratory. He is the former director of the Gastrointestinal Pathobiology Research Group and is now an Emeritus Professor at Yale University.
Daniel Buck
General Manager
Daniel Buck, MBA, MPH, joined Wren Laboratories in February 2022 as General Manager, bringing with him over 25 years in the commercial clinical laboratory and pathology industry. Prior to Wren, Dan was CEO of Pathologists Diagnostic Laboratory (PDL) and Pathologists Diagnostic Services (PDS) leading a large, sub-specialized pathology physician practice.
Mark Kidd
Scientific and Laboratory Director
Mark Kidd, Ph.D., DABCC has worked and published extensively in the area of Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) disease and is the Scientific Director of Wren Laboratories. He is credentialed with the American Board of Clinical Chemistry in Molecular Diagnostics to perform and report on molecular-based diagnostic testing.
About the Wren Brand
Brand Origins Reflect the History of and Our Enthusiasm for Our Science
Sir Christopher Wren
Most famous as an architect, Wren was also among the first to draw blood from human veins and helped develop mathematics into a fine art that could be applied to gaining scientific insights.
Our Way is mRNA
While most molecular diagnostics utilize DNA or protein, we’ve always focused on mRNA. It offers a high-resolution view of tumor activity. It’s a proven biomarker, having been used successfully since the late ‘90s. And, when preserved in our proprietary buffer solution, it’s stable.
What Wren Means to Us
Wren embodies the imagination and ingenuity necessary to harness the power of molecular genomics to better understand cancer. We are passionate about how our diagnostics help oncologists know more about and better manage cancer.
Irvin M. Modlin
Founder, Clinical and Scientific Consultant
Irvin M. Modlin, MD, Ph.D., DSc, an expert in the area of Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) disease, is the Medical Director of Wren Laboratories and is a Clinical Consultant to the testing laboratory.
Dr. Modlin has studied Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) disease for three decades, has authored many seminal publications on the subject, and has extensive global experience in novel therapeutic and diagnostic advances. His background includes gastrointestinal surgery, endocrine surgery, endoscopy, and gut hormone physiology. With over five hundred peer-reviewed publications and more than thirty years of experience working with neuroendocrine tumor and carcinoid patients, he has recently focused on the development and implementation of novel molecular testing protocols for these cancers.
Mark Kidd
Scientific and Laboratory Director
Mark Kidd, Ph.D., DABCC has worked and published extensively in the area of Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) disease and is the Scientific Director of Wren Laboratories.
He is also the CAP- and CLIA-certified Laboratory Director and Technical Consultant for Wren Laboratories. His professional and academic research interests have focused on the biology of neuroendocrine cells and the development of tumor models of the disease. Dr. Kidd’s publications cover diverse areas including global gene analysis, tissue microarrays, tumor biology, bacterial genetics as well as gastric and pancreatic pathology. Dr. Kidd has more than twenty years of molecular and cancer biology laboratory experience focused on oncology and other disciplines.
Daniel Buck
General Manager
Daniel Buck, MBA, MPH, joined Wren Laboratories in February, 2022, as General Manager, bringing with him over 25 years in the commercial clinical laboratory and pathology industry.
Prior to Wren, Dan was CEO at Pathologists Diagnostic Laboratory (PDL) and Pathologists Diagnostic Services (PDS) leading a large, sub-specialized pathology physician practice while directing the diagnostic and research divisions of a complex histology and cytology technical services laboratory. Previous to this, he was the Senior Director of IVD Clinical Trials and Commercialization at Vermillion, Inc (now Aspira Women’s Health) where he was part of the executive team that built and managed a pathology and esoteric testing laboratory dedicated to the support of IVD and companion diagnostic clinical trials. Before Vermillion, Dan was the Business Development Director and General Manager of IVD and Companion Diagnostic Studies at Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) where he was responsible for finding, evaluating, pricing, placing, and managing to completion clinical trials related to the development of in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and companion diagnostics. Dan holds a BA from Duke University, MBA from Boston University, and an MPH from Yale University.
Andi Neugarten
Corporate and Business Development
Andi Neugarten is a seasoned business executive with over 30 years of combined experience at both corporate and start-up levels. She brings a strong financial background with commercial lending and investment banking experience. Other skills include financial modeling, business development, corporate finance, strategy, operations, logistics, mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, finance, and marketing. Andi has experience in start-ups and rapid growth situations as well as large, public corporations. She is adept at business plan development and her strength lies in her relationship-building expertise. As a member of the Wren management team, Andi’s role is to develop new business relationships and guide Wren in the commercialization of their various technologies.
Tracy Auster
Lab Manager
Tracy Auster, an experienced clinical laboratory scientist, is the Laboratory Manager of Wren Laboratories. Tracy coordinates staffing and daily workflow and oversees all laboratory standards to maintain the laboratory’s CLIA and CAP certifications. She is certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and an active member of the Association of Genetic Technologists (AGT). A graduate of the University of Connecticut’s Diagnostic Genetic Sciences Program, her professional interests have focused on cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in oncology. More recently, she has focused on liquid biopsy and PCR-based assays. Prior to Wren Laboratories, Tracy worked in positions of increasing responsibility at AmeriPath Northeast for over 20 years.
Srinivas Koduru
Director, Transcriptomics
Srinivas V. Koduru, PhD, is an accomplished cancer biologist with specialized expertise in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and biomarker development. Dr. Koduru’s groundbreaking research has been published in several well-regarded industry journals, showcasing his remarkable contributions to the field of cancer biology. As the Director of Transcriptomics at Wren Laboratories, Dr. Koduru, is dedicated to the development of early diagnosis biomarkers in liquid biopsies (Blood and Saliva). Dr. Koduru’s research spans multiple cancer types, including breast, colon, liver cancer, and multiple myeloma, with a focus on molecular signaling and treatment development using next-generation technologies. Dr. Koduru is an expert in Transcriptomics, with over 16 years of research experience in cancer biology and has published over 50 scientific articles.
E.J. Vongher
Director, Marketing
EJ Vongher brings over 30 years of experience developing and executing marketing and communications plans for B2B and B2C companies ranging from silicon chips to tortilla chips. Holding a BA in Journalism from the University of Maine, EJ began working in Madison Avenue (NYC) advertising agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi/AC&R, Lowe & Partners, Warwick, Baker & Fiore, and Hampel Stefanides before moving west, where he was the Director of Advertising for silicon valley-based NEC Computer Systems. After that client-side experience, Vongher returned to the Ad Agency world in management positions at DDB, Hill Holliday, McCann Erickson, and Y&R before returning to DDB/SF where he ran the technology practice. His area of focus in the ad agency world initially was in account and project management; he eventually shifted to business and messaging strategy before returning to his first love – copywriting.
For the last decade, Vongher has operated Voncor Communications, a marketing communications consultancy focused on local retail, B2B, and marine marketing clients (Vongher is a sailor). Voncor Communications was named one of the best digital agencies in Connecticut in 2022 by Design Rush. Over the course of his career, Vongher’s client list has included: AMD, Compaq Computer, Dell, Palm Computer, Polycom, Silicon Graphics, and a few brewing clients including Heineken and Foster’s Lager. When EJ is not working, he can be found kayak fishing or on his bike, training for the Yale-New Haven Smilow Cancer Center Closer to Free Ride.