Noel Doheny

Noel Doheny has been an executive in medical diagnostics who introduced novel medical testing devices and products.

Following his graduation from WVU as a double major in 1976, where he was recognized as Phi Beta Kappa, Doheny studied biochemistry at Georgetown. Later he completed a certificate in entrepreneurship at Case Western.

After entering the medical diagnostics field in blood chemistry tools, heled an effort to enter the emerging DNA thermal melting field. Upon acquisition by Corning, the company created a novel benchtop random access analyzer that generated over $5 billion of global life cycle revenue.

Desiring to enter point of care testing, Doheny was appointed GM, and he identified a technology applicable to both operating room and home health use. By incorporating the device into the global GUSTO trial in the thrombolytic field, worldwide use accelerated. Simultaneously, the device was launched to home health and visiting nurse organizations for coumadin management. He created anew commercial approach, flex team selling, that drove rapid adoption.

In 1994, he joined a rapid testing company based on destructive interference of light. The company adopted the “flex” selling approach to launch an initial test for strep A pharyngitis. It rapidly followed with the first CDC recognized test for group B strep, a life-threatening birth disease. By working with the CDC and European nations to mandate prenatal testing, death rates were reduced dramatically and costs of care avoided.

Doheny secured a joint venture with an Australian pharma company to develop a influenza AB test (first ever)to complement the launch of new pharma agents called neuraminidase inhibitors. Upon FDA approval of the test and drugs the company established a 600-site national surveillance network for influenza. The following year in response to significant deaths in Japanese nursing homes a similar effort was initiated with Daiichi Pure Chemical.

The technology served as a platform to expand the offering for pathogen detection. This company was acquired by TMO.

Returning to the DNA field, Doheny led the transition of QIAGEN to an assay focus through several acquisitions. Then he led the migration of Affymetrix microarrays into the clinical indications for gene expression and copy number.

Subsequently, he initiated a venture capital backed effort to establish “optical genome mapping” for use in forensic pathogen identification in the food supply and biowarfare indications for the U.S. government.

Lastly, Doheny was CEO of Epigenomics, Inc., the first company to develop a blood based colorectal cancer screening method designed to increase the screening participation in age-eligible persons. Much of the clinical trial data for this product was developed at the WVU Medical Center through their clinical trials group.

He continues to be active in the oncology field through board level participation in start-up companies.

Noel Doheny’s late wife Deanna was also a 1976 WVU alum. He has two daughters and two grandchildren.