Theranos' area of interest, diagnostic microfluidics, is nothing exotic or new to the giants in the diagnostic industry. I spent a number of years with one maj

Theranos' area of interest, diagnostic microfluidics, is nothing exotic or new to the giants in the diagnostic industry. I spent a number of years with one major company in this field, and back in the 1990s they already had a decade of R&D, and countless millions of dollars, invested in this area. It was a difficult area of research back then and it continues to be. The idea that one scientist could come up with a concept to outsmart those companies is certainly possible and makes a very compelling investor story. But the reality is probably a little bit different.