It's been 15 months since H. Perry Fell stepped down as CEO of NanoString, the heavily-funded Seattle bioinformatics startup. But the company today finally announced Fell's replacement, tapping former Genzyme Genetics executive Brad Gray for the top post.

Gray served as vice president of product and business development at Genzyme Genetics where he worked since 2004. Before that, he worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.

NanoString also appointed Nalini Murdter, formerly of Agilent Technologies, as chief business officer.

NanoString Chairman William Young said that Gray and Murdter will help the company expand into the field of molecular diagnostics.

“Both executives bring to the team deep knowledge of the life sciences market as well as broad business strategy experience that will be highly valuable as we evaluate the various commercialization and partnering opportunities available to us,” said Young in a release.

NanoString raised a $30 million venture round last year from Clarus Ventures of Boston, OVP Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson.

Xconomy reports that Gray plans to relocate from Boston to Seattle, with plans to grow NanoString's staff of 75 as it looks to boost marketing of the company's nCounter analysis system.