Dr. James A. Hayward has served as Chief Executive Officer since March 2006, and was President from March 2006 to December 2024. Hayward joined the Company as acting Chief Executive Officer in October 2005, was promoted to President and Chief Executive in March 2006, and was later appointed to Chairman of the Board of Directors in June 2007.
Dr. Hayward has over 40 years of experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life science and consumer product industries. He was one of the founding principals and Research Director at Biocompatibles Ltd., Europe’s first liposome company. From 1984 to 1989, he was responsible for product development at Estée Lauder Companies, where he served as worldwide director of research.
From 1990 to July 2004, He was the Chairman, President, and CEO of The Collaborative Group, Ltd., a provider of products and services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and consumer-product industries based in Stony Brook, New York.
Since 2000, Dr. Hayward has been a General Partner of Double D Venture Fund, a venture capital firm based in New York, New York. He also serves on the boards of the Stony Brook Foundation, the Research Foundation of the State of New York, Long Island Life Sciences Initiative and the Ward Melville Heritage Foundation.
Dr. Hayward received his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1976, his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Biophysics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1983, and an honorary Doctor of Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2000.
Ms. Murrah was promoted to President in December 2024 after previously serving as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer since January 2021, the Company’s Chief Information Officer since June 2013, and the Company’s Secretary since December 22, 2017. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Murrah was Senior Director of Information Technology at Motorola Solutions, which acquired her former employer, Symbol Technologies. Her role at Motorola Solutions included overseeing the global IT program management office, financial and supplier operations, and quality assurance. At Symbol Technologies, Ms. Murrah held leadership positions in product line management, global account sales, corporate and marketing communications, and IT.
Ms. Murrah is an inventor on 14 U.S. patents. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Rhode Island.
Prior to being appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Applied DNA Sciences, Ms. Jantzen was the Controller for the Company since May of 2013. Ms. Jantzen is a certified public accountant with over 15 years financial and accounting experience.
Prior to joining the Company Ms. Jantzen was a senior manager at Marcum LLP, since June 9, 2014, where she managed multiple engagements and specialized in SEC policies, practices and procedures, including Sarbanes-Oxley compliance as well as valuations involving acquisitions. Ms Jantzen was named Who’s Who in Accounting/Audits by Long Island Business News in 2012.
President, LineaRx, Inc
Mr. Shorrock was appointed has served as the Company’s Chief Legal Officer and Executive Director of Business Development since April 2021, and as President of LineaRx, since December 2024. He leads the Company’s legal, regulatory, risk mitigation, intellectual property, and business development functions and has been instrumental in the development of the Company’s Linea™ DNA and Linea™ IVT platforms.
Mr. Shorrock previously served as general and intellectual property counsel to the Company from November 2016 through April 2019. Prior to rejoining the Company in April 2021, Mr. Shorrock was a member of the intellectual property groups of Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., and Allen, Dyer, Doppelt & Gilchrist, P.A. Earlier in his career Mr. Shorrock was an associate at several New Jersey-based law firms where he focused on intellectual property and complex commercial transactions.
Mr. Shorrock holds a B.A. in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College and a J.D. with a concentration in intellectual property from Seton Hall University Law School.