Dr. Poste is the Vice-Chairman of Caris and Chief Scientific Advisor. In addition, he is Chief Scientist, Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative (CASI) at Arizona State University. He assumed this post in February 2009. This program links expertise across the university in research on synthetic biology, ubiquitous sensing and healthcare informatics for personalized medicine.

From 2003 to 2008 he founded the Biodesign Institute at ASU (www.biodesign.asu.edu). In creating this Institute, Dr. Poste designed and built 400,000 sq. ft. of new facilities, achieved cumulative research funding of $225 million and recruited over 60 faculty, including three members of the National Academies of Science and Engineering.

In addition to his academic post he serves as Chief Executive of a consulting company, Health Technology Networks, which specializes in the application of genomic technologies and computing in healthcare. He is Chairman of Orchid Biosciences, the leading company in DNA forensic analysis, and serves on the Board of Directors of Monsanto, Exelixis and Caris Dx. From 1992 to 1999 he was Chief Science and Technology Officer and President, R&D of SmithKline Beecham (SB). During his tenure at SB he was associated with the successful registration of 31 drug, vaccine and diagnostic products. In 2004 he was named as ‘R&D Scientist of the Year’ by R&D Magazine and in 2006 he received the Einstein award from the Global Business Leadership Council.

He has published over 350 research papers and edited 14 books on pharmaceutical technologies and oncology. He has received honorary degrees in science, law and medicine for his research contributions and was honored in 1999 by HM Queen Elizabeth II as a Commander of the British Empire for his contributions to international security.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal College of Pathologists and the UK Academy of Medicine, a Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University and a member of the Council for Foreign Relations. He is a member of the Defense Science Board and Health Board of the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the US Institute of Medicine Board on Global Health. He is Chair of the DOD Task Force on Bioterrorism and the newly launched DOD Task Force on Synthetic Biology.