[cessor]

This might me really nerdy but the name reminds me of the Farscape Episode "DNA Mad Scientist" (1x9 or so). A lab rat with increased intelligence enslaves the original scientific staff, and keeps the original chief scientist as an assistant, called... wait for it... "Cornata".

[zodiac]

My first thought was that it was based on the AI character in the Halo series.

http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Cortana

[marshray]

In Halo 3, wasn't it revealed that Cortana was built from DNA from chief scientist whats-her-name?