The Genesis of LigoLab:  What Started as a Shared Vision Between Friends Has Become the Definitive Lab Information System Choice for Modern Laboratories

Well over two decades ago, when Edward Kharatian first met Suren Avunjian, he knew immediately that Suren had something special. 

Edward was serving as the CIO of Healthline Clinical Laboratories, which had overgrown its 15,000-square-foot facility and was bursting at the seams. To keep pace with the lab’s success, the operation needed to move into a new facility nearly seven times larger - a sprawling 100,000-square-foot building. This pivotal moment would set the stage for a lasting connection between Edward and Suren.

“It was a very challenging project because we were dealing with infrastructure issues,” said Kharatian, President of LigoLab, a pathology lab software company widely known throughout the industry for its all-in-one laboratory information system (LIS) and laboratory billing (lab revenue cycle management)  informatics platform. “All the stations, all the servers, everything had to be moved.  So we hired a company to help and Suren just happened to be working for this company.”

Suren was up for the task.

“Edward and I hit it off right away,” said Avunjian, LigoLab’s CEO.  “We got straight into work and started answering each other’s questions back and forth.  There was a lot of synergy, an instant click when we first met.”

The move into the new building was smooth and successful. Not long after, Edward offered Suren a position to work with him directly at Healthline.

Suren accepted and soon was supervising the lab’s IT department.  

The business continued to grow. It became California’s largest privately held lab, processing up to 5,000 specimens daily.  Edward and Suren worked well together, collaborating on product development that didn’t exist on the market. 

They worked together at Healthline for seven years, and a few years into their working relationship, they developed a shared vision that’s carried through to this day.  

“We started flirting with the idea of starting our own laboratory information system software company,” said Suren.  “Whenever we brought on a big customer, or when the company experienced big growth due to some of the technologies we had developed, Edward and I would look at each other and say, ‘If this is helping one lab it can help thousands.’”

The seeds were planted but Edward and Suren were so busy with everyday work that the dream was put on hold, at least for the foreseeable future.

That brings us to 2006.  The very successful company Edward and Suren helped grow was eventually sold to LabCorp.  At that point, the two friends realized they had a decision to make: either stay with the newly sold company or go off on their own. 

Suren and Edward decided to go on their own as partners in a new business venture.

“When I was CIO at Healthline, I saw a lot of presentations and types of lab billing and laboratory information system software,” said Edward.  “I saw the need for integrated and unified LIS software, especially anatomic pathology LIS environment.”

“At that point, there were only a few LIS software vendors. I saw a great need for this so I decided to move that way,” continued Edward.

Edward and Suren had a shared vision, now they just needed a name.

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Transforming Labs Into Modern, Data-Driven Organizations

Ligo is a Latin word that means “to unite or to connect” and that’s what Edward and Suren set out to do when they founded LIgoLab in 2006.

Connecting laboratories is the most important thing,” said Edward.  “Connecting, merging and integrating them into something whole between departments through shared medical LIS technology.” 

“The name fits because it was our philosophy and dream: to build one laboratory information system platform that united all aspects of the lab,” said Suren.  “Ligo encapsulated that idea of union, a place of oneness, one source of truth.”

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Like many startups, the road was bumpy in the early going.  Many of those first business meetings between Edward and Suren were held in Edward’s garage.  

Also, virtually every penny that LigoLab generated back then was re-invested back into the LIS company, with most of the money spent on Tony Oganesian, the company’s Managing Partner, who at the time was working for another company but contracting work with Edward and Suren.  

Despite the early challenges Edward and Suren remained confident and laser-focused on success.

“I saw the success of our company from day one because of the reputation we had built,” said Suren.  “We were fortunate not to need any investors and were known to deliver on our word, so when the lab was sold, some of the salespeople and VPs at that company went to other labs.  The sale was a blessing in disguise.  During the acquisition, everyone was shocked, but it worked out well for us because everyone spread out and many of them came to us for help on IT infrastructure and laboratory information systems.”

Edward and Suren leveraged their reputations and struck a deal.  They would deliver, but it would take some time.

“Right away we saw these people were putting huge trust in us and fronting us this money,” said Suren.   “What greater success can you have as a company?  There was such a demand that our early customers were willing to pay a year out for LIS software that didn’t exist yet.” 

“We were purely working on the pathology software product itself with just one or two customers that believed in us,” said Suren.  “We dedicated all of that time to ensure they got something out of it, and they did.  They all grew their lab companies up to a point where they became very profitable.”

Thanks to those early customers, LigoLab established itself as a leader in the LIS system and lab billing marketplace and two decades later, LigoLab and its client partners continue to thrive.

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Modern Laboratory Information System Solutions to Combat Real-World Problems 

Today’s pathology laboratories are under pressure.  Volumes are on the rise and reimbursements are being cut.  Modern-day labs must adopt innovative technologies and processes to improve relationships with customers and partners, streamline operations, and maximize value.

LigoLab offers robust pathology lab reporting software solutions for clinical pathology, anatomic pathology, genetics, and precision medicine.  It also operates in ways that allow it to stand out. 

LigoLab can adjust its medical LIS and lab RCM software solution to meet the specific needs of its customers (regardless of lab size) because the LIS system platform is constantly being updated and improved.

Unlike traditional, legacy laboratory information system companies, LigoLab requires no upfront capital investment or licensing fees. Instead, it offers LIS model pricing with tiers that align with the lab’s current needs.  Through shared risk, the LIS model enables pathology labs and LigoLab to grow together.  

LigoLab transforms pathology laboratories, fuels their growth, and optimizes their resources.  From order entry to grossing, lab billing, and reporting, it’s there every step of the way, helping laboratories grow and thrive.

Learn More: LigoLab Informatics Platform: Uniquely Designed Pricing to Deliver Maximum Value

Become Part of the LigoLab Community

Choosing LigoLab means partnering with a forward-thinking LIS company dedicated to helping your laboratory thrive. 

By selecting LigoLab, you gain an all-in-one pathology lab management system engineered to streamline workflows, enhance accuracy, and deliver the agility needed to stay ahead in an evolving industry. 

With LigoLab, you’re not simply keeping pace, you’re setting the standard.

Across the country, innovative pathology laboratories are already harnessing the full potential of the LigoLab platform to transform diagnostics, improve patient outcomes, and redefine what’s possible in healthcare. Together, we’ll chart a course for the future of pathology, backed by the technology, guidance, and unwavering support you need to excel.

Experience how LigoLab can elevate your operations and unlock new paths to growth. Contact us to learn more. 

The future of pathology is here, and LigoLab is powering it.