Our Company
Redefining healthcare delivery through accessible diagnostics
Hemex Health was founded by serial MedTech entrepreneurs Patti White and Peter Galen in 2016 with the goal of making accurate, affordable, and accessible diagnostics available where they are needed most.
Patti and Peter began by working with clinicians and public health experts around the world to understand healthcare challenges and dialoging with universities to identify emerging technologies best suited to meet those needs. From there, they went on to develop and commercialize the Gazelle platform in over 40 countries, with thousands of readers and millions of tests sold.
Peter Galen and Patti White with Gazelle.
About Hemex Health
Produced by Oregon Lottery & Business Oregon
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Innovating for Global Health
Learn more about Hemex Health and its mission to make diagnostics more accessible.
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Novartis Biome Collaboration
Discussion with Patti White and Patrice Matchaba (formerly of Novartis).
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Our Mission
We help doctors and patients in the world’s most challenging clinical environments by thoughtfully designing accurate, affordable, and accessible diagnostic solutions.
Our Founding Principles
Engage patients, partners, and experts to design solutions that measurably improve the clinical experience.
Create a financially sustainable company with affordable products to ensure patients can continue to access our innovations, anytime and anywhere.
Cultivate a passionate team dedicated to helping patients and clinicians across the world.
Our Management Team
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PATTI WHITE, Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder
Patti is passionate about making critical healthcare innovations accessible to emerging markets. Her focus is on deeply understanding the users' challenges and bringing together a team with creativity and drive to solve these problems with affordable, sustainable solutions. With over 25 years of running medtech startups, Patti offers operational, development, and leadership experience needed to make life-saving diagnostics accessible around the world.
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PETER GALEN, Chief Innovation Officer, Co-Founder
Peter guides R&D at Hemex to ensure that patients anywhere can access high-quality diagnostic solutions. With over 30 years of experience, Peter offers critical insight and demonstrated success in transforming high-end, complex and expensive medical diagnostics into high-quality, simple, and affordable solutions.
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DAREN BLEDSOE, Sr. VP, Engineering & Operations
Daren brings an in-depth understanding of setting up and running complex R&D programs from experience releasing over 30 products. As the Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations, Daren thrives on the challenge of creating innovative products and is adept at devising creative strategies to accelerate program schedules, ensuring that Hemex products reach the market with maximum efficiency and impact.
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GERRIT VAN ROEKEL, MSc, MBA, VP, Business Development
Gerrit oversees Hemex's business development efforts, partnering with public health officials, distributors, and local leaders to ensure that Gazelle is accessible to those who need it. Gerrit came to Hemex from business development roles at organizations such as Abbott Diagnostics, Bio-Rad Laboratories, and the Gates Foundation's partnering team.
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SULATHA DWARAKANATH, Ph.D., VP, Assay Product Development
Dr. Dwarakanath spearheads test development for the Gazelle platform. She has helped develop innovative diagnostics for companies such as ThermoFisher Scientific, Roche, and Nano Science Diagnostics across her 25 years of cross-functional technical and management experience in the life sciences.
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UMUT GURKAN, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, Microfluidics
Dr. Gurkan is the inventor of microchip electrophoresis and has received numerous national and international recognitions and awards for developing translational point-of-care (POC) technologies. He serves as an invaluable advisor to the Hemex Health team while leading the Case Biomanufacturing and Microfabrication Laboratory and teaching at Case Western University.
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NIKKI SIDDIQUI, Chief Financial Officer
Nikki is an experienced CFO with a history of working in the medical device and defense contracting industry. She has extensive experience in budgeting, long-range business planning, analytical skills, accounting and finance.
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PRASHANT KHADKE, Ph.D., Managing Director, India Commercial Operations
Dr. Khadke oversees all of Hemex's operations in India, where diseases like sickle cell are both prominent and severely underdiagnosed. He has extensive experience in the application of genomics in healthcare as a lab scientist, business development manager, and strategic marketer.
Hemex Health Board of Directors
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BILL FERENCZY
Bill Ferenczy is a seasoned diagnostics executive and board member with over 30 years of leadership experience in point-of-care testing, biomarker innovation, and medical device commercialization. He has a proven track record of scaling diagnostic platforms and introducing novel tests across global markets, with roles spanning product development, commercial strategy, and executive management.
Bill's career includes leadership positions at Abbott, Biosite, Nanosphere, and QuidelOrtho, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President of the Point-of-Care Business Unit. In this role, he oversaw global strategy and operations for a multibillion-dollar portfolio, driving notable advances in rapid diagnostic technology and helping expand access to critical testing solutions. Bill holds a B.S. in Preprofessional Studies from the University of Notre Dame.
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GIOVANNI MAGNI
Giovanni Magni is a seasoned C-suite executive and board member with over 40 years of global leadership experience in biotech, life sciences, pharma, medical diagnostics, and healthcare. He has a proven track record of driving strategic growth, overseeing product development from concept to commercialization, and leading global teams across sales, marketing, and operations. During his tenure at Bio-Rad Laboratories, Giovanni held key executive roles including EVP and Chief Strategy Officer and EVP of International Sales and Marketing, where he led global initiatives that expanded the company’s revenue from $400 million to $2.2 billion. His expertise spans mergers and acquisitions, market development, product launches, and building cross-functional teams across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Giovanni holds degrees in pharmacy from the Università degli Studi di Pavia and is fluent in English and Italian.
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CHETAN MAKAM
Chetan Makam is Sr VP and General Manager of Global Blood Solutions at Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, and also serves as Managing Director and Chairperson of Terumo Penpol Private Ltd. in India. With more than 20 years in the medical device industry, Chetan is recognized for his dedication to expanding access to blood, blood components, and biotherapies. Under his guidance, TerumoBCT has partnered with organizations like NITI Aayog, the Government of Meghalaya, and the National Health Mission in Odisha to strengthen blood systems and support sickle cell programs. Chetan holds an MBA from Babson College, a master’s in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts, and a bachelor’s in polymer engineering from the University of Pune.
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OTHER HEMEX HEALTH BOARD MEMBERS
Patti White is the CEO of Hemex Health and a Board Member.
Peter Galen is the Chief Innovation Officer and a Board Member.
See full bios above.
HemexDx Board of Directors
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AMRISH MEHTA
Amrish Mehta, MBBS, MD, DPD, is a pathologist and bacteriologist with over 35 years of experience. He founded the Dr. Amrish Mehta Apple Diagnostic Centre in Mumbai in 1983, and he has worked to make it one of the most technologically advanced laboratories in the city. Dr. Mehta was instrumental in helping Hemex get started with testing and analyzing lab results on our initial prototypes in India in the early stages of our design process.
He graduated as an MBBS from University of Mumbai and received a post graduate MD from LTMG Hospital Sion.
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SUHAS TAMRAS
Suhas Tamras is a seasoned leader in the global medical technology industry with nearly three decades of experience in product engineering, R&D leadership, regulatory-driven development, and executive management. As CEO of Syrma Johari Medtech Ltd., he drives the company’s strategic growth and design-led manufacturing in the medical devices sector. Previously, Suhas led global healthcare operations at Tata Elxsi, where he built innovation programs and strategic partnerships with major OEMs. Known for his technical depth and operational excellence, he champions India’s rise as a global Medtech hub. Suhas holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, has completed advanced executive management at IIM Kozhikode, and is a certified Independent Director by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.
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OTHER HEMEXDX BOARD MEMBERS
Patti White is the CEO of Hemex Health and a HemexDx Board Member.
Prashant Khadke is the Managing Director for India Commercial Operations and a HemexDx Board Member.
See full bios above.
Our Presence in India
India is a vital hub for Hemex Health’s global operations. We have a fully owned subsidiary (HemexDx) in India that leads our local marketing efforts and supports key engineering and customer service functions. Our Gazelle reader and multipacks are manufactured by trusted Indian partners and shipped worldwide.
Hemex is a major supplier of hemoglobin variant tests for India’s National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), supporting programs in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
We also collaborate with leading Indian researchers and institutions on clinical studies to advance diagnostic innovation. With active investors and deep engagement across the ecosystem, India is both a strategic market and a cornerstone of our global impact.
Manufacturing facility in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Manufacturing facility in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Support from Our Select Partners
