Illumina, continuing its strategy to bring the power of genomics into clinical applications, has named one of the world’s top clinical genomics experts to head its clinical genomics unit. Garret Hampton, Ph.D., will join as executive vice president of Clinical Genomics for the company, starting January 9, 2017.

“This is a strategically important hire for Illumina,” said Francis deSouza, president and chief executive officer of Illumina. “Garret has been on the front lines of oncology and brings deep expertise in clinical genomics to the leadership team, key to his new role leading our clinical genomics organization.”

Garret will be responsible for leading the clinical genomics group, including the reproductive and genetic health and oncology businesses, regulatory, clinical and medical affairs, CLIA labs and the chief medical officer’s organization. He joins Illumina from Genentech, where he was global head of Oncology Biomarker Development and Companion Diagnostics, co-led the Roche Personalized Medicine R&D Initiative and chaired the Roche/Foundation Medicine Joint R&D Committee. He previously held scientific and management roles at Celgene, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation and University of California at San Diego. Garret holds a BA in natural sciences and genetics and MA in natural sciences from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and a Ph.D. in cancer genetics from Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the University College London.