IRVING, Texas, Jan. 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Caris Life Sciences, Inc., a leading biosciences company focused on enabling precise and personalized healthcare through the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic services, announced today that Amy Jensen Cunniffe has joined the Company in the newly-created position of Senior Vice President for Government Affairs. Ms. Cunniffe will assume responsibility for Caris Life Sciences' public policy and government relations efforts, while establishing the Company's office in Washington, D.C. with the goal of furthering the interests of patients through expanded access to precision diagnostic, prognostic and theranostic offerings.
"Profound public policy issues are driving changes in healthcare, and within this environment Caris intends to serve as a forceful advocate for more precise, personalized healthcare that benefits patients and improves the system," said Winston K.C. Lam, Executive Vice President, Business Development and Chief Legal Officer. "Amy brings deep experience, excellent relationships and strategic insights to our efforts, and we are delighted she has joined the Caris leadership team."
Cunniffe is an experienced Washington executive with many years in government affairs leadership positions for high level individuals and organizations. Most recently, she served as GE Healthcare Leader for the Government Relations Team, building a world-class government relations organization with a track record that included successfully preventing hundreds of millions in reimbursement cuts to medical imaging, as well as coordinating with patient advocacy groups to improve payment for osteoporosis screening. Previously, Cunniffe served as a Director at Quinn Gillespie and Associates, one of Washington's most prestigious lobbying firms, where she led the health care practice and provided strategic counsel and policy feedback to Members of Congress and the Executive Branch. For two years, Cunniffe served as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, charged with maintaining strong relationships with 77 bipartisan Members of Congress as their personal liaison to the White House while leading the House effort on behalf of the President to pass H.R. 1, the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Dennis Hastert and an Assistant to the Speaker of the House for Policy, among other responsibilities.
About Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences, a leading biosciences company, specializes in the development and commercialization of the highest quality anatomic pathology, molecular profiling, and blood-based diagnostic technologies, in the fields of oncology, dermatopathology, hematopathology, gastrointestinal pathology and urologic pathology. The company provides academic-caliber consultations for thousands of patients a day, through its industry-leading team of expert, subspecialty pathologists. Caris also offers advanced molecular analyses of patient samples through prognostic testing services and genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling to assist physicians in their treatment of cancer. Currently, Caris is developing the Carisome(TM) platform, a proprietary, blood-based technology for diagnosis, prognosis, and theranosis of cancer and other complex diseases. The company is headquartered in the Dallas metroplex, operates laboratories in the Dallas, Phoenix and Boston metro areas and is entering the European markets through its first international location, in Switzerland. For more information, visit www.carislifesciences.com.
CONTACT: Caris Life Sciences Media Inquiries: Holly Clark 214-596-7060 hclark@carisls.com
