About Zymo Research

"The beauty of science is to make things simple"

Larry Jia, Founder/CEO

Over 30 Years of Passion & Innovation

From its birthplace in a small garage in Orange, California, to the industry leader it is today, Zymo Research has been led by a vision to have a positive impact in the biomedical field and to contribute to the greater good of humanity. That vision touches every aspect of Zymo Research and has guided the company’s growth, culture and creation of the most innovative and valuable biomedical tools and services since 1994.

Now, Zymo Research is a globally established biotechnology company and industry leader in the fields of epigenetics, microbiomics and the emerging Next-Gen Sequencing space. With international facilities and a global distribution network, Zymo Research enables researchers in academia and the biomedical field to make cutting-edge discoveries all over the world. While the company provides some of the most technologically advanced products in the industry, everything is driven by the fundamental belief that "the beauty of science is to make things simple."

OUR VISION

To have a positive impact on the biomedical field and to contribute to the greater good of humanity.

OUR MISSION

To provide the most reliable, innovative, and valuable biomedical tools and services to our customers through research and strategic development.

GOLDEN RULE

"Treat others as you would like to be treated."

We strongly believe this principle dictates teamwork and open communication.

Quality

Innovation

Customer Service

The Sun Rises in the Yeast

Humble Beginnings from a Southern California Garage

The story starts in an unusual place - in an old garage, with second-hand equipment, a passion for science and a desire to make things better. Small and unassuming, a makeshift lab in Orange, California would soon become the birthplace of ideas and products that would change the world.

Out of a broken centrifuge that could only spin down yeast, one scientist spun a clear vision - to have a positive impact in the biomedical field and contribute to the greater good of humanity. That vision started to materialize in the creation of industry-leading yeast research technologies, followed by spin columns and plasmid purification products.

Without the need for investors, Zymo Research was able to build on passion and the voices of customers, instead of investment dollars. This allowed the company to listen to what researchers needed and act immediately to provide highly advanced technology that made their work simple.

With this approach, Zymo Research expanded globally and established 6 facilities around the world in places like Freiburg, Germany and Beijing, China. Today Zymo Research creates some of the most technologically advanced products available to researchers in academia and the biomedical field, driven by the fundamental belief that the beauty of science is to make things simple.

Terra Incognita

We believe in boldness to explore new scientific frontiers. We face uncertainty head-on in pursuit of our mission.

How We Innovate

As a private company, Zymo Research revolves around the needs, ideas and feedback of customers. From product development to the renowned technical support, Zymo Research is built on a foundation of scientists supporting scientists. Our products challenge traditionally accepted ideas and workflows, with a belief that when you listen to the needs of customers, there is always room for innovation to make things more simple.

The Story of the Micro-Elution Spin Column

While researching unidentified pathogens, a young virologist became frustrated with conventional methods of nucleic acid clean up. Low concentrations of DNA from large elution volumes hindered his research and took up precious time. One day, he finally had enough of inefficient protocols and products, so he pioneered his own.

With a glass microfiber filter, a micro Eppendorf tube and a hot needle to make holes, the founder of Zymo Research fashioned the first ever micro-elution spin column.

The homemade spin column provided the scientist with very high concentrations of DNA from small elution volumes. The ultra-pure, highly concentrated DNA from the spin column enabled him to reliably sequence DNA directly from PCR without cloning, something that had previously been very inconsistent.

When nearby researchers noticed how efficiently the scientist was working, the spin columns started to disappear from his work station. It was clear that this technology fulfilled a widespread need in the industry, so he decided to make it available to the world. This marked the beginning of the Zymo-Spin Micro-Elution Spin Column.

How DNA/RNA Shield Got Its Start

Prompted by scorching temperatures in the Middle East and no access to freezers, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research set out to compare nucleic acid preservation methods to find the most reliable solution for collecting specimens for surveillance.

Inspired by the idea of a soldier in the Middle East with nothing more than a small tube and a backpack, Zymo Research submitted formulations that could preserve nucleic acids at any temperature and also protect users from harmful pathogens.

What would later become DNA/RNA Shield, the formulations provided by Zymo Research far outperformed other methods due to its ability to inactivate pathogens and stabilize RNA in extreme temperatures. The results of this study sparked other military interest from US Army Medical Detachments in Kuwait.

After validating the preservation of viral nucleic acids in DNA/RNA Shield, a group requested and distributed the solution throughout the region. The reagent helped the operation of field response to disease outbreaks and facilitated sample collection from places where medical assets were very limited.

Adaptability

We operate with the acceptance of quick changes in our world and scientific landscape and embrace the challenge.

Contributing to STEM Education

Zymo Research is a proud supporter of YARD Sciences, a non-profit organization that gives high school students of underserved communities access to scientific laboratories and hands-on courses. With a $10,000 contribution and donation of various kits, YARD Sciences was able to purchase vitally needed laboratory equipment and provide more students with educational experience in the sciences.

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Empowering Future Scientists

Students who attended the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Inqaba Campus Tour at the Inqaba Biotec West Africa campus participated in NGS lessons, quizzes, and pipetting competitions. Pictured are Zymo Research’s DNA Extraction Kits being used to educate and empower future leaders and scientists!

Supporting Students

Zymo Research sponsored students at the University of Stuttgart and provided kits so they could participate in the International iGEM Competition! The iGEM Competition gives students the opportunity to push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world.

Human Microbiome in Microgravity

Venturing into research on the human microbiome in microgravity, NASA approached Zymo Research in need of a method for astronauts to preserve and collect biological samples on the International Space Station at low gravity.

A custom solution was made for NASA’s research, with DNA/RNA Shield to preserve microbial metatranscriptomic profiles in space until missions are complete and samples can be brought back to Earth for analysis.

DNA/RNA Shield enables studies on the impact of long-term space travel on astronauts’ microbiome and how it relates to their health and immune function. This research aims to lower the health risks associated with space exploration, which will help shape the future of space travel.

In April of 2019, Zymo Research was graciously presented a plaque by NASA's Johnson Space Center, recognizing the company for their development of a unique sample collection tube to support human research on board the International Space Station.

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The Sky is Not the Limit

We're on your team, wherever your research takes you.

Giving Back to Our Community

Creating a positive impact is at the heart of what we do

Give Back to Science

In partnership with Seeding Labs, Zymo Research pledged to give a percentage of domestic US sales to Seeding Labs to support their admirable mission to equip scientists in developing countries with the tools they need to be successful. With the support of charitable customers, Zymo Research was able to reach their goal of donating $10,000 to Seeding Labs through their 'Give Back to Science Campaign' that ran from Nov. 19, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2018.

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High School Science in Woods Hole

One of our collaborators, @nextgenscientist, taught high schoolers at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole how to extract DNA from little marine critters using our Quick-DNA kit! He helped the kids perform DNA extraction, long-range PCR, and nanopore sequencing - all in less than 24 hours!

First Responders to the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China

Zymo Research Corporation's (China Branch) donates scientific reagents to a hospital in Wuhan as "Reagents for combating virus pneumonia" in an effort to thwart the coronavirus outbreak in that region.

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Color for Charity

Zymo Research's donation to Seeding Labs from the Color for Charity campaign supports scientists in developing countries working on the front lines of public health, like Dr Arsen Arakelyan in Armenia. As director of the Institute of Molecular Biology, Dr Arakelyan and colleagues pivoted from their research to manufacture a COVID-19 diagnostic tests and allow Armenia to rapidly increase its testing capacity--saving lives and money.

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