Inductee Profile
James A. Hayward, Ph.D., Sc.D.
Taught to work hard while learning about the family business from a very young age, James Hayward learned how his father had kept the business going, even during hard times. Born and raised in New York City on June 21, 1953, Jim’s natural inclination for exploring new opportunities, taking risks and innovating, especially at a young age, would form an integral part of his life as a bio-entrepreneur.
Jim received his bachelor's degree in Biology and Chemistry from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1976, his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the Stony Brook University in 1983, and an honorary Doctor of Science from the same institution in 2000. As a graduate student in molecular biology at the University at Stony Brook, Jim witnessed one of his mentor’s nurture esoteric membrane science into one of the world’s first blockbuster drugs, seeing the multiplicative benefits of science on humanity. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Jim continued his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of London, and together with his advisor, they founded one of England’s first public biotechnology companies.
After returning from England, Jim was responsible for product development at the Esteé Lauder Companies. In 1990, Jim founded The Collaborative Group, a provider of products and services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and consumer-product industries based in Stony Brook, New York. Between 1990 and July 2004, Jim served as their Chairman, President and CEO. Collaborative took up anchor tenancy in the Long Island High Technology Incubator, where the group functioned as an incubator themselves, spawning multiple businesses. The Collaborative BioAlliance, which was a contract developer and manufacturer of human gene products, was sold to Dow Chemical in 2002. Collaborative Labs, a service provider and manufacturer of ingredients for skin care and dermatology was sold to Engelhard (now BASF) in 2004.
Throughout his career, Jim has been a strong advocate of university-based business incubators that would provide a nurturing environment to spurn new innovation and provide a platform for bio-entrepreneurship. For three years, Jim chaired a task force to establish business incubator policy for New York State and the Pataki Administration. Supporting local innovation and building a strong bioscientific community and culture on Long Island has also led Jim to serve on the boards of many companies, the Stony Brook Foundation, the Research Foundation of the State of New York, the Long Island Association, the New York Biotechnology Association, the Long Island Life Sciences Initiative and the Ward Melville Heritage Foundation.
In 2000, Jim became a General Partner of Double D Venture Fund, a venture capital firm based in New York. He was President of the German-based Suwelack Skin and Health Care from 2005 until 2008, and is currently Chairman, President & CEO of Applied DNA Sciences (OTCBB: APDN). The company uses DNA to prove product and document authenticity, leading the fight against counterfeiting. APDN has marked products throughout world with its SigNature™ DNA markers, and authenticated a range of natural materials with its BioMaterial GenoTyping technologies. The power of DNA and its utility to protect individual brands, whole industries regionally and globally, and preserve the quality of products and natural materials is truly groundbreaking.
Throughout the years, Jim was supported by his nurturing wife and family and loyal team of creative friends with whom he has had the pleasure to share his life. Jim and his wife, Judy, have three children, and live in Stony Brook and Orient Point.