Our Story
Azora Biosciences was born out of a simple but powerful realization: no two bioscience laboratories are exactly alike, yet the life-sciences industry has long treated them as if they were. The traditional approach, distributing “one-size-fits-many” kits, often leaves labs adapting their workflows around generic solutions rather than having solutions tailored to their needs.
With that in mind, Azora Biosciences set out to chart a different path. Leveraging a custom-workflow development system and flexible manufacturing processes, we began collaborating closely with labs to understand the challenges they were facing, and opportunities for innovation. From those deep partnerships, we built bespoke DNA/RNA extraction reagents and workflows designed specifically to meet each lab’s unique demands.
Over time, our customised approach proved its worth, enabling higher-performance workflows, greater operational efficiency, and significantly reduced environmental impact. What began as a challenge to industry norms has become a new paradigm: prioritising customisation, performance, and sustainability in bioscience lab supply.
Mission
At Azora Biosciences, our mission is to empower laboratories with customised, high-performance bioscience solutions so that each lab can operate at its best. We strive to:
- Provide bespoke DNA/RNA extraction reagents and workflows tailored to each lab’s unique technical challenges, sample types, and equipment.
- Maximize operational efficiency by simplifying workflows, reducing hands-on time, and streamlining reagent use.
- Provide stable, reliable supply of products through our global, Azora-controlled logictics network.
- Minimise environmental impact through reduced plastic and reagent waste, as well as sustainable packaging and reagent formats.
- Collaborate closely with labs to continuously adapt and evolve our clients’ custom solutions, staying responsive to changing scientific and operational needs.
Vision
We envision a future where laboratory supply is no longer constrained by generic “off-the-shelf” kits. One where every lab, regardless of size or specialization, can access solutions engineered precisely for their workflows and goals.
In this future:
- Labs worldwide achieve optimal performance and throughput without compromising on reliability or sustainability.
- Custom bioscience manufacturing becomes the norm rather than the exception — enabling fast adaptation to new sample types, technologies, or environmental regulations.
- The scientific community benefits from greater technical performance, lower operational costs, and reduced environmental footprint.
- Innovation is accelerated because labs spend less time adapting generic tools
Azora Biosciences aims to lead this transformation by making tailored, high-performance, and sustainable lab solutions accessible to every laboratory seeking better science, better efficiency, and better stewardship of resources.
Our Team
Mark Jones
Managing Director
Mark is a molecular biologist and the founder of Azora Biosciences, established in 2020. Motivated by the limitations of traditional off-the-shelf R&D models, he built Azora to deliver tailored, high-performance solutions for modern high-throughput genomics laboratories
Dr. Denver Britto
R&D Coordinator
Denver leads our R&D team in the development of customised products and new technologies. After completing his PhD at the University of Auckland, he brings deep expertise and creativity that help drive innovation for our clients
Faith Plummer
Operations Coordinator
Faith oversees key elements of our manufacturing operations, bringing a strong technical background and practical experience to the role. She provides essential support across all aspects of production and adds significant capability to the team
Sam Jones
Administrator
Sam manages our contracts, payments, and day-to-day administration, while also helping to coordinate marketing projects. Her work supports Azora Biosciences’ continued growth into new markets
Dr. Janelle Chong
Operations Coordinator
Janelle is our Production Coordinator, joining us after completing her PhD at the University of Auckland. Her R&D experience and strong organisational skills help streamline our workflows, while her responsibility for quality, compliance, and process improvement ensures we deliver client solutions efficiently and to the highest standard
Dr. Claudia Gomez-Parada
R&D Technician
Claudia supports our product development and custom solution projects, bringing a strong background in plant biotechnology to the team. She holds a PhD from the Universidad de Talca in Chile and enjoys applying her expertise to real-world laboratory challenges
Chelsea Blackstock
R&D Technician
Chelsea contributes to our product development and custom solution projects while completing her PhD in Structural Biology at the University of Waikato. She brings valuable hands-on experience and a strong, creative scientific mindset, making her a great addition to the team
Aakash Dutta
R&D Technician
Aakash plays a key role in developing Azora Biosciences’ core Next Generation Sequencing technology initiatives. He brings strong practical skills and technical expertise in enzyme science and genetics, developed during his Master’s degree at the University of Waikato
Jasmin Arce
Bioscience Production Technician
Jasmin contributes to our production operations, bringing a strong background in Biomedical Sciences from the Universities of Auckland and Otago, along with hands-on experience from New Zealand Clinical Research. She brings valuable practical skills that will support Azora Biosciences as we continue to grow
Jordan Brown
R&D Scientist
Jordan leads our Next Generation Sequencing development, bringing deep expertise and a diverse practical skillset to the team. His leadership strengthens our capabilities as we move into new areas of development
Emma Anderson
Laboratory Assistant
Emma supports our production team while studying for a Bachelor of Science at the University of Waikato. Her mature and attentive approach provides valuable support as the team continues to grow