San Diego-based Trovagene, a developer of transrenal molecular diagnostics, has named Mark Erlander, Ph.D., chief scientific officer.  Erlander has more than 18 years of experience directing research teams with a strong focus in oncology-based molecular diagnostics. 

Erlander will direct the clinical development program for the company's portfolio of transrenal and urine-based molecular diagnostic assays. Clinical studies will initially focus on Trovagene's oncogene mutation tests currently in development. Erlander will also oversee the ongoing clinical program for Trovagene's human papilloma virus (HPV) carrier screening assay.

Previously he was chief scientific officer of bioTheranostics, a molecular oncology diagnostics laboratory based in San Diego, and a research fellow at the R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute (Johnson & Johnson).  He holds 38 issued U.S. patents in diagnostics, therapeutics and genomic technologies, and is author of 73 scientific publications with 56 peer-reviewed original articles and 17 review/chapter publications.