Author: Dr Sarah Holme

Dr Sarah Holme

About the author

Dr Sarah Holme

Scientist, 3CR Bioscience

Dr Sarah Holme is a scientist at 3CR Bioscience, where she develops and communicates the company's PCR genotyping technology and its applications in plant and animal breeding. She brings over 20 years of biotechnology experience, from research on novel antibacterial therapies to new product development for genotyping and real-time PCR detection chemistries. Alongside her lab career, she has worked extensively as a science writer and editor, producing application notes, case studies and technical content for the life sciences industry.

Articles by Dr Sarah Holme

PCR Genotyping Assay Miniaturisation

What if you could run thousands of PCR reactions using a fraction of the reagents—miniaturisation is transforming genotyping at scale.

Hop Plant Sex Determination by SNP Genotyping 

A new PACE genotyping assay delivers an accurate, affordable, and scalable method to identify male and female hop plants early in breeding programs — enabling faster selection, greater efficiency, and a 97% female yield in field trials.

Automated PCR system for SNP genotyping assays using high-density microplates and robotic precision, ideal for large-scale allele-specific detection with PACE®.

SNP Genotyping: Assays, Methods and Applications

SNP genotyping is transforming genetics across agriculture, aquaculture, and life sciences. Learn how smart assay design, allele-specific PCR, and 3CR’s PACE® technology deliver high-throughput, precise, and cost-effective genotyping for any research or breeding program.

Rapid Pathogen Detection: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters

Rapid PCR-based pathogen detection is revolutionising diagnostics in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. Discover how 3CR’s PACE® and PACE OneStep RT-PCR systems deliver fast, accurate, and scalable detection of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens — helping safeguard global health and biosecurity.

What is a PCR Master Mix? Components and Functions.

A general introduction to PCR master mixes followed by information on 3CR Bioscience’s PACE PCR Master Mixes, which provide cost-effective solutions for accurate SNP and Indel genotyping, using patented fluorescent technology for high-throughput, reliable allele-specific PCR analysis.

PCR Automation Systems: A Complete Guide to Automated PCR Setup

PCR instrumentation has evolved from manual setups to automated systems, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and scalability in genotyping. 3CR Bioscience offers advanced solutions for PCR instrumentation and integration into a wide range of workflows.

[fibosearch]
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)

Contact us

Resolve Genotyping Challenges. With One Practical Guide.

From failed amplification to scattered cluster plots — this guide provides structured, expert-backed solutions for the 7 most common PACE® genotyping issues.

"(Required)" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
I’d like to sign up for the newsletter

MEET OUR TEAM

Steve AsquithManaging Director
Steve began his career in the Genetics Division of GlaxoSmithKline, as part of the team establishing GSK’s high-throughput core genotyping laboratory. Steve joined KBioscience when it was first founded in 2002 and was a key driver in taking the company from a small start-up to a multi-national service laboratory, quickly growing the company’s revenue to over $7.5M p.a. Following the acquisition of Kbioscience by LGC in 2011, Steve was appointed Global Director of Operations for LGC Genomics, responsible for over 100 staff in Europe and N. America, successfully elevating the genotyping products and service business. Steve held a crucial leadership role until he left in 2016. In 2017 Steve joined forces with John Holme to create 3CR Bioscience, a new company with a mission to deliver outstanding, customer-focused genotyping products with innovation and affordability at its core.
Dr. John HolmeTechnical Director

John joined KBioscience shortly after it was founded, in 2003, and became Head of Technical Development, building the company’s genotyping and DNA extraction product portfolio and service delivery until 2011 when it was acquired by LGC. Post-acquisition, John was appointed Head of Technical Group for LGC Genomics, in charge of all Research & Development and Technical Support activities for the company. In this role John continued to build on the high-quality products and services provided to the companies growing customer base.

During the 19 years John has worked in commercial R&D, he has co-invented numerous highly successful products including PACE®, ProbeSure, KASP™, KlearKall, KlearGene, KlearAmp and KlearTaq™, creating breakthrough offerings in genotyping and extraction and generating huge revenues for the companies he has worked in. In 2017, he joined forces with Steve Asquith and started 3CR Bioscience. John is dedicated to developing outstanding, innovative genotyping products and providing the very best technical support to customers globally.

Dr. Nisha JainOperations Director

Nisha has been innovating since the start of her career at Geneform Technologies developing Iso-thermal Genotyping Technologies. Nisha joined KBioscience in 2008, as Senior R&D Scientist and key account Technical Support Scientist, developing KASP and Klearkall performance and coinventing two further versions of KASP.

Nisha has more than 15 years’ experience working in molecular biology and genotyping technologies, with extensive experience in the areas of R&D, Quality Assurance and Customer Technical Support. She has technically assisted many giants of the industry with their protocol development and troubleshooting and continues to deliver high-quality support and guidance. In 2018, Nisha joined 3CR Bioscience as Operations Director where she continues to develop PACE and ProbeSure for an increasing range of applications, and to grow 3CR Bioscience’s new product pipeline. Nisha is dedicated to developing outstanding, innovative genotyping products and providing the very best technical support to customers globally.

Nazma SaffinGeneral Manager

For 20 years Nazma Saffin has worked and gained extensive expertise within the genotyping sector. Working at Kbioscience and then LGC, she has held operational leadership posts responsible for manufacturing and laboratory services. With experience of ISO 9001 implementation, production scale up and LEAN operations, Nazma has successfully led highly profitable production departments. Joining 3CR Bioscience in 2022, Nazma is committed to delivering operational excellence.

Greig PollandAutomation and Support Manager

Greig is a hands-on automation specialist and team leader with a strong background in laboratory and industrial automation. He has spent over 25 years developing, installing, and supporting automated systems that transformed laboratory workflows. During this time, Greig worked closely with scientists and engineers to tailor automation solutions for genotyping and molecular biology, an experience that sparked his lasting passion for combining technology with practical science.

Since then, Greig has built on that foundation through leadership roles where he leads automation and support operations. He’s known for being approachable, commercially minded, and deeply committed to helping teams and customers get the best from their technology.

Whether managing a complex automation rollout or helping a customer troubleshoot in real time, Greig brings a thoughtful, collaborative approach that keeps people ,not just machines, at the centre of what he does.

Daniel LawsonMarketing Manager
Daniel is a strategically minded marketing and communications professional with over a decade of experience delivering integrated, multi-channel campaigns across healthcare, legal and not-for-profit sectors. He has a strong track record in building brand visibility, driving engagement and supporting revenue growth through audience-focused marketing.
Prior to joining 3CR Bioscience in 2025, Daniel held senior marketing roles where he led strategic communications, managed brand development and delivered high-impact digital and content campaigns. His experience spans SEO, CRM, PR, events and stakeholder engagement, with a particular strength in translating complex messages into clear, compelling content.
At 3CR Bioscience, Daniel is responsible for shaping and executing the company’s marketing strategy, enhancing brand presence and supporting commercial growth through targeted, data-driven campaigns.