As Director of the Life Science Technologies Laboratory, Darlene Solomon is responsible for Agilent's central research program investments in support of its life science businesses.

Previously, Ms. Solomon was R&D manager for the chemical and biological systems department and senior laboratory scientist. Her business expertise includes the life science, biotechnology/pharmaceutical, chemical and environmental industries. She has held a range of technical and management responsibilities since beginning her career with Hewlett-Packard in 1984.

Ms. Solomon serves on the advisory boards for the Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering at UC Davis and has served on the scientific advisory board for the Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation in Illinois. Within Hewlett-Packard, she was the founder and co-chairperson for HP's Technical Women's Conference and the initiator of the HP Labs Community Forum.

She holds a B.S in chemistry from Stanford University, a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has completed the executive development program at Stanford.

• Profile updated in 2007