In many ways, ever since the Human Genome Project took off in April 2003 seeking to map the human genome itself, there has been an increased attention on understanding what makes us who we are. Unlike genetics, which is the study of individual genes – roughly 20,000 in a single human being – and their role in making us what we are, genomics is the genetic mapping and DNA sequencing of the complete set of genes of an organism: dogs, cats, ants, and, of course, people. The work seeks to understand the makeup of genes and their interactions with their environment and each other.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the technology has tremendous potential to improve health globally. Many believe that the information generated by genomics will directly affect the diagnoses, management, and prevention of cancer, diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular and many other diseases and conditions.
Anna Langerveld, Ph.D., founded Genemarkers to leverage that potential by providing precision genomics services – personalized analyses of individual DNA – for improving healthcare outcomes, pharmaceutical research, and consumer products.
And she did so, thanks in part to the support of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and its partner, the Michigan Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Tech Team, and Kalamazoo’s SmartZone, WMed Innovation Center, among others.
Read more on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation website.