Hayward, CA – Biolog, Inc., a biotech company in Hayward, California, today announced a 35% expansion of its facilities. That increase accommodates the growth of the company’s product line in microbiology, and also provides room for the company’s move into the fast growing field of functional genomics.

The expansion adds laboratory, warehouse and manufacturing capacity and is designed to meet FDA QS and GMP requirements at Biolog’s facility, located at 21124 Cabot Blvd., Hayward, CA.

Biolog’s core technology relates to cellular physiology. During its 15-year history, the company has developed a worldwide reputation as a leader in systems for microbial identification and characterization. Now Biolog is using its expertise in cellular physiology to develop products for functional genomics. “These new products represent a shift in the paradigm from molecular-level to cellular-level testing, and a move from genomics and proteomics to ‘phenomics,’” said Tim Mullane, Biolog’s president and CEO. “Our products will fill major gaps in functional genomics research and will reduce both time and costs related to expensive drug trials.” Biolog’s proprietary Phenotype MicroArray™ (PM) system, will be used by researchers in the genomics field and by researchers developing anti-microbial agents.

“We have designed our new facility to accommodate the expected increase in PM business from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This involved expanding our laboratory space by 100% and expanding our customer support capability.”

Functional genomics is the science of determining the connection between specific genes and the ultimate traits expressed in the microorganism, plant or animal (such as drug resistance, drought tolerance or disease susceptibility). These observable traits are called “phenotypes.”

The science of genomics, has employed tools such as gene sequencing and “gene chips” to produce a wealth of genetic information. A higher level of analysis has involved the study of the proteins that genes produce. These studies, “proteomics,” typically employ electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. But while the study of proteins adds understanding and clues into the consequences of genetic changes, it still falls short of providing the direct link between genes and phenotypic traits. Biolog’s products will fill that gap.

While genomic and proteomic studies are performed at the molecular level, Biolog’s technology provides information at the higher cellular level, and it is cost-effective and scalable for high-throughput applications. The technology provides a powerful tool for pharmaceutical companies’ drug discovery programs, which are faced with the daunting task of making sense of the immense amount of information resulting from gene sequencing. By studying the impact on cells of a genetic change or a drug application, scientists can rapidly discard unproductive avenues of research and focus on those that are most promising, and they can do so before conducting costly and time-consuming studies in live animals or plants. The savings in wasted research dollars can be enormous.

For more information contact Biolog, Inc. at (510) 785-2564 or visit the Biolog website at www.biolog.com.