Dr. Gene Hookstra joined Eurofins STA Laboratories in January, 2008 as General Manager of Genetic Services at our headquarters in Longmont, Colorado. Dr. Hookstra will have operational management and business development oversight for Eurofins STA Laboratories’ molecular marker, trait and hybrid purity services.
Dr. Hookstra received his Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Quantitative Genetics from the University of Nebraska in 1982 and worked 11 years in the vegetable seed business as a successful plant breeder, station manager and vice president of research. In 1993, he started working with the Linkage Genetics/Paradigm group providing molecular services to the seed industry and since that time has devoted all of his energies to the successful application of DNA markers in the seed industry. Dr. Hookstra says, “Molecular markers are simply tools which all breeders and seedsmen should be familiar and with proper application will help expedite and guarantee success”.
Through the past 15 years Dr. Hookstra has had the opportunity to work with many field and vegetable seed companies in the US and abroad, has experience in over 22 species and has served as an expert witness in numerous intellectual property disputes. He has also been a guest speaker at a number of seminars including; Illinois Corn Breeders School, Breeding with Molecular Markers at UC, Davis and the Rice Technical Working Group as well as served on the scientific advisory board for RiceCAP. He is also an active member of ASA, CSSA and ASHS.