Current Report Filing (8-k)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 3, 2014

Applied DNA Sciences, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

001-36745
(Commission File Number)

59-2262718
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

50 Health Sciences Drive
Stony Brook, New York 11790
(Address of principal executive offices; zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

631-240-8800

N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d 2(b))

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On December 3, 2014, the Board of Directors of Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) elected Joseph D. Ceccoli as a new member of the Company’s Board of Directors.

Since 2010, Mr. Ceccoli has been the Founder, President and CEO of Biocogent, LLC, a bioscience company located at the Stony Brook Long Island High Technology Incubator. Biocogent is focused on the invention, development and commercialization of skin-active molecules and treatment products used in regulated (OTC / Med-care), personal care and consumer products. Prior to starting Biocogent, Mr. Ceccoli was Global Director of Operations for BASF Corporation, a global Fortune 100 company and the world’s largest global chemical company, where he was responsible for the integration, operations and growth of domestic and overseas business units from 2007 to 2008. Prior to BASF, Mr. Ceccoli was a General Manager for Engelhard Corporation, a US based Fortune 500 company and chief operating officer of the Long Island based Collaborative Group from 2004 to 2007.

Mr. Ceccoli holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biotechnology from Rochester Institute of Technology and advanced professional training in various pharmaceutical sciences, emulsion chemistry, engineering and management disciplines. He is a member of numerous professional organizations such as the American Chemical Society and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists.

As has been the policy with other non-employee directors, Mr. Ceccoli will be granted annually a five year stock option, fully vested after one year, to purchase a number of shares of common stock having a fair value of $60,000 as determined using the Black Scholes value or as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. In addition, Mr. Ceccoli will be a party to the Company’s standard form of indemnification agreement.

There is no understanding or arrangement between Mr. Ceccoli and any other person or persons with respect to his election as director and there are no family relationships between Mr. Ceccoli and any other director or executive officer or person nominated or chosen to become a director or executive officer. There have been no transactions, nor are there any currently proposed transactions, to which the Company was or is to be a party in which Mr. Ceccoli or any member of his immediate family had, or will have, a direct or indirect material interest.

A copy of the press release issued by the Company on December 9, 2014 related to Mr. Ceccoli’s election to the Board is furnished as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

99.1

Press Release dated December 9, 2014.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: December 9, 2014	APPLIED DNA SCIENCES, INC.

	By:	/s/ James A. Hayward
	Name:		James A. Hayward
	Title:		Chief Executive Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release dated December 9, 2014.

Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE	For Immediate Release
December 9, 2014	Contact:
	Media Relations
	631-240-8800
	Applied DNA Sciences

Applied DNA Sciences Elects

Joseph Ceccoli to Board of Directors

STONY BROOK, NY, December 8, 2014. Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:APDN), (Twitter: @APDN), a provider of DNA-based anti-counterfeiting technology and product authentication solutions, has elected Joseph Ceccoli, Founder, President and CEO of Biocogent, LLC, as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Biocogent is a bioscience company, focused on the invention, development and commercialization of skin-active molecules and treatment, and consumer products sold globally in 15 countries.

Prior to founding Biocogent, Joe was Global Director of Operations for BASF Corporation, the world's largest global chemical company, where he was responsible for the integration, operations and growth of domestic and overseas business units. Earlier, Joe was a General Manager for Engelhard Corporation, a US-based Fortune 500 company.

These senior positions followed a successful 19-year career as entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer of the Long Island-based Collaborative Group. Beginning as a start up in 1986, Collaborative developed into an employer of nearly 300 professionals and skilled workers at its research and manufacturing centers.

Joe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and has received advanced professional training in various pharmaceutical sciences, emulsion chemistry, engineering and management disciplines. He is a member of numerous professional organizations.

Joe lives on Long Island with his wife Stephanie and two sons.

"Joe's professional career has always been focused on the growth of businesses and job creation on Long Island," commented Dr. James A. Hayward, CEO and President, Applied DNA Sciences. "He is a pioneer in helping transform small, growing companies into significant enterprises. Joe's extensive operational experience will be helpful as the business continues to expand. Add to this a strong science resume; we are confident he will further strengthen our Board's breadth of talent and background. I know he will make an important and positive impact on the company."

Ceccoli stated, "I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the Applied DNA Sciences Board of Directors. The company's strategic vision and unique deployment of science to the ever-demanding world-wide need for security and authentication solutions makes it a global leader. I look forward to participating and working with the Board to further the company's strategic and operational goals."

About Applied DNA Sciences

APDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions and services that can help protect products, brands, entire supply chains, and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature® DNA describes the uncopyable marker that is at the heart of all of our security and authentication solutions. SigNature DNA is at the core of a family of products such as DNAnet®, our anti-theft product, SigNature® T, targeted toward textiles, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful track and trace. All provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.

The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December 20, 2013 (amended on May 1, 2014) and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q/A (for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2013) and Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.