On Target: Targeting What Matters in Testing is a podcast dedicated to exploring the evolving landscape of diagnostics and its critical role in the development of precision healthcare.
Testing is at the center of healthcare like never before, thanks to advancements in genomic sequencing, AI-driven diagnostics, biomarker-driven therapies, and home testing. Healthcare systems are adapting to integrate these technologies effectively, and regulators are trying to keep pace with innovation.
Co-hosted by industry experts, On Target features conversations with testing company and laboratory executives, innovators, and thought leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare through testing products and services.
In the time it takes to drink your coffee, we'll let you know where the field is going next.
Meet Your Hosts
Mara G. Aspinall
Mara G. Aspinall is a healthcare industry leader with a commitment to civic involvement and education.
Aspinall is a Partner at Illumina Ventures, an independent, genomics and precision health venture firm supporting early-stage diagnostics, tools and therapeutic companies.
Aspinall was President and CEO of Ventana Medical Systems, a billion-dollar division of The Roche Group, (now Roche Tissue Diagnostics), a worldwide leader in the development and commercialization of tissue-based cancer diagnostics, where her team led more than two dozen major instrument and assay launches
and positioned the company as the global leader in companion diagnostics.
Previously, Mara was President of Genzyme Genetics and Genzyme Pharmaceuticals. She transformed Genzyme Genetics from a niche player to one of the nation’s top five laboratories before it was acquired by
Labcorp. She grew Genzyme Pharmaceuticals four-fold to become an international powerhouse in specialized manufacturing.
Throughout her career, Aspinall spearheaded initiatives to educate the healthcare community on genomics and diagnostics. She publishes Sensitive & Specific: The Testing Newsletter and the annual Diagnostics Year in Review. The commitment to expanding knowledge inspired Aspinall to co-found the Biomedical Diagnostics master’s degree program at Arizona State University, the only program in the world dedicated exclusively to diagnostics as an independent discipline.
During the pandemic, Aspinall emerged as a national authority on COVID testing. She was an advisor to The Rockefeller Foundation and co-author of the Foundation's reports on COVID policy.
Aspinall was named Arizona Biosciences Leader of the Year by the Arizona Biotechnology Association and one of “100 Most Inspiring People in Life Sciences” by PharmaVOICE magazine. She holds an MBA from
Harvard Business School, a BA from Tufts University, and is certified in Cybersecurity Oversight from Carnegie Mellon and NACD. Aspinall is a member of the Board of Directors of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
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Avni Santani, PhD, FACMG
Avni Santani is a nationally recognized leader in genomics, diagnostics, and the future of patient-centered healthcare.
With more than 20 years of experience, including senior leadership roles as Chief Genomics Officer at LetsGetChecked, Chief Medical Officer at Veritas Genetics, and Director of the Division of Genomic Diagnostics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Avni has built and led high-impact organizations across academia, startups, and global diagnostic companies. She also served as an Associate Professor of Pathology at University of Pennsylvania, where she helped train and mentor the next generation of clinical genomics leaders. She has earned multiple awards for her contributions to testing in genomic medicine.
Today, as CEO and Founder of Boston Health Partners, her firm advises diagnostic companies, hospitals, employers, payers, and investors on how to bring real precision health solutions to scale. Her work spans the commercialization of testing technologies, AI-enabled rare disease diagnostics, and national policy, CLIA/CAP lab operations, at-home testing platforms, payer and employer engagement, and M&A due diligence.
Avni has authored national guidelines in molecular diagnostics, served on leadership committees for Association For Molecular Pathology (AMP) and College of American Pathologists (CAP), and is a frequent speaker shaping policy and innovation in precision medicine.
Through this podcast, she brings together the science, strategy, and real-world impact of diagnostics and precision health, highlighting how testing can transform care for millions.
Liz Ruark
Liz Ruark is co-editor of Sensitive and Specific: The Testing Newsletter. She has developed website architecture and content for NIH's RADx program and the Yale School of Public Health, and her writing has appeared in Wellesley Magazine, the Harvard Press, and on NPR, among other outlets. In addition to her editorial work, Liz is a director, actor, and theater teacher. She holds a DVM from Tufts University and an AB in linguistics and Romance languages from Harvard University, and is mom to two kids, two dogs, one cat, and three gardens.