Mar 13, 2018
Fifteen years ago, when the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced the successful completion of the Human Genome Project, Sam Santhosh decided that it was time to study up and find all of what was required to compete inside the world of DNA sequencing. The way that Santhosh saw it, sequencing was really about data, a world he felt he understood well and one that he was confident would yield future business opportunities. Still, the unique opportunity that would give rise to MedGenome would first escape Santhosh’s lines of sight. The opportunity: India’s historic caste structure is responsible for creating an unusual human patchwork where the population is divided into distinct groups with striking genetic differences. In the genomic world, India’s unusual population patchwork provides a yet unmatched genetic pool to test and accelerate new medical therapies—while providing insights for drug development and precision medicine. Join us when Sam explains how the opportunity came more fully into view and how building a research capability in India became the first stage in pursuing a bigger data vision.