Time goes by fast. With the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, scientists worldwide were trying to understand the cause and effect of variations in the genome as they relate to functionalities, traits and disease. Along the way, we at Golden Helix helped researchers analyze data, discover variations and draw conclusions. It turns out that the real bottleneck in this process is the ability to analyze and complete conclusive research work.
Over the last decade, I have spent significant time working with Fortune 500 pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies to accelerate their R&D. Speeding up complex processes, utilizing the latest technology, and providing researchers the best possible information at their fingertips were key to accomplishing significant improvements in cycle time of major R&D efforts. My book “Be Fast Or Be Gone” tells the story of how a pharma company overhauled their R&D operation in their quest to reduce cycle time. The book is based on a number of strategic implementations in this space.
My experience in increasing R&D productivity will now be applied at Golden Helix. The company has helped hundreds of researchers worldwide study the genome for over 14 years, providing software that emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness. Combined with training and technical support, we help our clients maximize their valuable time. An abundance of positive customer statements as well as over 750 journal article citations speak for themselves. For example, Dr. Ken Kaufman from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital said, “Before, it took 2 days to come up with a list of variants. Now, with SVS, I can do it in about an hour.”
We remain committed to making researchers world-wide as productive and successful as possible. Our flagship product, SNP & Variation Suite, will continue to evolve and improve.
Now, next-generation sequencing technology is developing at an incredible pace. It cost just under $3 billion and took thirteen years to complete the Human Genome Project. Today, a person can have their genome sequenced in mere days for several thousand dollars. It is safe to assume that this number will continue to drop.
There is a paradigm shift ahead of us as NGS-based data analytics will become pervasive in the clinical realm. Right now the ability to analyze, annotate, and draw conclusions from NGS data is only possessed by experts. Gabe Rudy, Golden Helix’s Vice President of Product Development, is one of the leading bioinformaticians in the world, but analyzing his own family’s exomes has been a painstakingly difficult and lengthy process. Within the next decade, the advancement in sequencing technology, as well as the analytic capabilities provided by companies such as Golden Helix, will enable physicians to diagnose diseases and deliver personalized medicine and preventive care.
Our vision is to empower front line health care personnel and clinical researchers to make informed decisions based on the genetic data of their patients. In the same way we have empowered researchers globally to conduct research in a more efficient way, we will take our know-how, capabilities and passion to extend DNA and RNA sequence analysis to molecular biologists and physicians with the ultimate goal to improve patient outcomes.
