Top: Derek Prince, Ph.D. – President
Bottom: – Daniel Prince Ph.D., CEO (right)
Herbert Prince, Ph.D., Scientific Director (left)
It’s a hat trick! In September of 2019 the President of Prince Sterilization Services (Prince), Derek Prince, successfully defended his Ph.D. in microbiology, genetics, and cancer from Rutgers University. This milestone marks Derek as the Prince families third generation Ph.D. recipient, all within the field of microbiology and cell biology.
Herbert Prince, Ph.D. (University of Connecticut) – founder of Gibraltar Laboratories in 1970 and Daniel Prince, Ph.D. (UMDNJ/Rutgers) – long-term owner and President of Gibraltar Laboratories and founder and current CEO of Prince Sterilization Services preceded Derek as the first and second generations, respectively. “I am very proud of Derek and I know he will be a great friend and contributor to our industry”, said Daniel.
“Hard work, pursuit of higher education, and entrepreneurship were values that were always discussed and encouraged in the Prince family”, said Derek. “The education and experiences I received throughout my masters and Ph.D. degrees have provided me with an excellent foundation of microbiology and cell biology ultimately to the benefit of Prince, he finished.”
Prince provides customer specific steam and dry heat sterilization and depyrogenation services as well WFI washed, depyrogenated, and sterile glass vials and closures to customers within the pharmaceutical, medical device, and related health care segments. A multigenerational Ph. D level of understanding of microbiology is extremely important and positions Prince as an industry leader. A strong institutional understanding of microbiology is essential in the pharmaceutical and health care industries as environmental monitoring programs, aseptic technique, packaging considerations, and general clean room compliance all heavily focus on the control of potential microbiological contaminants. Prince’s broad and up to date depth of microbiological knowledge allows their customers to feel safe, especially if any communication to regulatory authorities may be required.
Additionally, Prince’s knowledge of both microbiological control and current trends in pharmaceutical and medical device sterilization allows them to validate alternative sterilization and depyrogenation processes that differ from the traditional overkill and half-cycle mentality ultimately allowing for the sterilization of materials and devices that are otherwise considered unfit for sterilization by steam or heat. Prince has demonstrated three generations of commitment to advancing the field of microbiology in both academia and industry and looks forward to continuing this trend.