Life science and high-performance fabric company PurThread Technologies has made two additions to its team who have the track records to guide the company through its next phase of rapid growth says the company. Healthcare sales, marketing and executive management professional Lisa Grimes will lead PurThread as the new president and CEO. Meanwhile, Dr. Tom Inglesby, director and CEO of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Center for Health Security, joins the PurThread board of directors, bringing with him significant expertise in public health policy.

With 28 years of experience in the life sciences industry, Grimes brings a wealth of deep domain expertise to the table. She was formerly CEO of InSite Clinical Trials, a full service contract research organization, which was acquired by United Healthcare.

“The antimicrobial textile field is rapidly becoming an integral part of the life sciences industry, so it’s certainly an exciting time to be joining the PurThread team,” says Grimes. “I’m thrilled to be a part of a company that shares my passion for a continued commitment to innovation and safety within the healthcare environment.”

Prior to InSite Clinical Trials, Grimes served as vice president of business development for Pharmaceutical Product Development. She served for ten years as a member of the executive advisory group of Campbell Alliance and its subsidiary, the Pharmaceutical Institute. Additionally, she served as CEO of AcSentient, a specialty pharmacy company focused on ophthalmics, and Angiomics, an anti-angiogenesis company. Grimes graduated from the School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“As the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues to grow around the world, there is a need for strategies and interventions that will make a difference,” says Inglesby. “I’m excited to support PurThread’s long-term mission to develop products aimed directly at diminishing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the patient environment.”

In his role as irector and CEO of the UPMC Center for Health Security, Inglesby is internationally recognized in the fields of public health preparedness, pandemic flu and epidemic planning, and biosecurity. His expertise is widely recognized throughout the medical field, having authored or co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles, reports, and commentaries on a spectrum of health and security issues.

PurThread Technologies Inc., an emerging leader in antimicrobial textile technology and scientific research, manufactures a product range from healthcare textiles, such as privacy curtains, lab coats, scrubs, blankets, and sheets, to an array of freshness products for other markets such as the military, emergency first responders and performance athletic wear. PurThread products incorporate an EPA-registered antimicrobial that protects the fabric from the effects of microbial contamination and reduces odor-causing bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus.