Lisa Ford, PhD, HCLD (ABB), earned her BS in chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her PhD in chemistry from Duke University. Much of her graduate work focused on developing novel assay techniques for enzyme activity. After earning her PhD, Dr. Ford became an expert in bioanalytical chemistry through scientific roles at several companies in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, with much of the work primarily focusing on development and validation of assays for endogenous metabolites using mass spectrometry. She led the development and validation of several novel diagnostic tests, including tests for insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and kidney function. After spending several years as the director of clinical and targeted analysis at Metabolon, Inc., she became board-certified high-complexity laboratory director through the American Board of Bioanalysis. In her current role as the laboratory director at Immunovia, she has led the development and validation of a test for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and oversees the day-to-day operation of the clinical laboratory testing.