text: 1/ In the 80's, diagnostic assays based on the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method were already being developed for human and veterinary applications.  Following the reports of the first use of ELISA to detect plant viruses by Voller and Clarke (1976), Dr. Sutula introduced in 1981 the first commercial kits for the detection of common viruses and bacteria in potato. These kits provided all of the components that were necessary to perform the test in a ready-to-use format, called PathoScreen®. He established collaborations with many plant pathologists all over the world to produce tests that are recognized worldwide for their quality and value.
  2/ With two competing companies in Europe, Inotech, Basil, Switzerland and Boehringer Mannheim, Germany, Dr. Sutula pioneered the concept of "reagent sets"—matched, quality-controlled antibodies and antibody-enzyme conjugates that can be used to prepare and perform one's own test. He integrated these ideas into plant diagnostics, expanded the scope of diagnostic assays, and guided Agdia to a continuous company growth over the past 35 years.
  3/ In response to many requests, he formed Agdia Testing Services in 1982, a unit of Agdia. Agdia currently offers more than 200 tests that use several technologies, such as ELISA, Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), nucleic acid hybridization, immunochromatography, and Immunofluorescence assay (IFA), to detect viruses, viroids, bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma, insects, plant hormones, and proteins in conventional and genetically modified crops (GMO). He developed international sales and helped to establish Agdia-Biofords, French company based in Genopole Évry, in charge of product distribution in Europe, Africa and Middle East.
  Dr. Sutula's vision was to make research on detecting plant pathogens available to many persons in worldwide agriculture and to package this technology into easy-to-perform, affordable tests.  Now in retirement, Chet continues his special interest in simplifying complex chemistry and procedures into tests that are reliable and simple to perform.