DNA Data Storage Alliance Announces Board Appointments

The DNA Data Storage Alliance, a SNIA Technology Affiliate, formed in 2020 by Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), Twist Bioscience Corporation (NASDAQ: TWST) and Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) to create and promote an interoperable storage ecosystem based on DNA as a data storage medium, today announced the appointments of CATALOG Technologies and Quantum Corporation to the governing board of the Alliance. David Turek will represent CATALOG and Don Doerner and Turguy Goker will represent Quantum. All three new board members bring to the Alliance extensive storage expertise and experience launching new technologies.

“SNIA welcomes the expansion of the DNA Data Storage Alliance board with the addition of Quantum and CATALOG. We are excited to see the Alliance expanding its membership and continuing to support the emergence of this important technology,” said Dr. J Metz, Chair, SNIA Board of Directors. “With their talent and experience, David, Turguy, and Don will be excellent additions to the board. They’ll help guide this nascent industry through the next phase, address the inevitable challenges, and eventually reach a broader consumer base for these innovative technologies.”

“At this pivotal moment in the evolution of DNA data storage, when the fundamentals of DNA synthesis and sequencing have progressed to the point where the storing of digital data in DNA molecules is technically feasible, it is vital to come together as an industry and implement standards that coalesce the whole sector in the drive to scale to commercially deployable systems,” said David Turek, chief technology officer of CATALOG Technologies. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members to help guide the Alliance toward this goal.”

“Bringing together diverse experience in storage media and technologies is critical to ensure that DNA data storage moves toward standardized interoperability and ultimately broad adoption by customers,” said Turguy Goker, director of Advanced Development, Linear-Tape Open (LTO) at Quantum Corporation. “SNIA and the DNA Data Storage Alliance are already making great strides to make this goal a reality.”

“DNA data storage is primed to be a game-changer in data storage, providing the ability to efficiently store vast amounts of data for a long time,” said Don Doerner, technical director, Office of the CTO at Quantum Corporation. “As an industry, we should embrace this potential, and I look forward to playing my part to help usher in this new era for the storage sector.”