Advanced Animal Diagnostics Founder and Chief Science Officer Rudy Rodriguez Elected Into National Academy of Engineering



AAD LogoRudy Rodriguez, Advanced Animal Diagnostics (AAD) founder and chief scientific officer, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The academy cited his "inventions to analyze blood and separate blood components that enable widespread clinical therapies." An evolution of this technology is being used on dairies to diagnose subclinical mastitis using AAD's QScout MLD test and is also being utilized to develop a blood test to diagnose disease in beef cattle.

As one of the highest professional honors granted to engineers, election to the NAE is reserved for those who have made significant achievements in the development of new and emerging fields of technology. Rodriguez joins an elite group of 2,275 U.S. members and 232 foreign members at the NAE.

"Rudy has saved countless human lives by developing technology to analyze white blood cells. Now he's using that ingenuity to help livestock producers more precisely use antibiotics with on-farm diagnostics that meet consumer needs and improve producer profitability," says AAD president and CEO Joy Parr Drach, " We're so happy to see Rudy's many contributions honored with this elite award."

Rodriguez has been involved in the development and commercialization of several products in his career that created entirely new industry segments or sold more than $1 billion each. Among them are the first automated blood cell separator at Baxter (Fenwal CS-3000), the first random access chemistry analyzer (Coulter DACOS) and the world's most successful physician's office hematology system at BD (QBC). He subsequently adapted the QBC technology into the VetAutoread Hematology Analyzer, marketed by IDEXX for companion animal use.

Rodriguez holds 28 patents and is a four-time winner of the R&D 100 Award for one of the 100 most significant new technical products of the year.

AAD's QScout Farm Lab and QScout MLD test build on the inventions for which Rodriguez is being recognized to identify and differentiate leukocytes, or white blood cells. QScout Farm Lab reads the QScout MLD test, looking for elevated cell type ratios to more accurately diagnose infection. Early detection of subclinical mastitis allows dairy producers to increase milk quality and production while using antibiotics more judiciously and ensuring cow comfort.

About Advanced Animal Diagnostics
Advanced Animal Diagnostics (AAD), Durham, N.C., provides livestock producers with diagnostics that improve profitability and empower more precise care of animals so they live healthier, more productive lives. AAD is committed to researching, developing and commercializing the industry's most reliable, on-farm diagnostic tests, such as QScout MLD test for early detection of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows. With its diagnostic offerings, the company aims to empower real-time management decisions that increase productivity, prevent losses, improve animal welfare and protect the food supply.

For more information, visit www.QScoutLab.com or call 1-855 Q2COUNT.
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2.15.2016