Checkerspot is a US-based #IlluminaAccelerator grad using WGS and transcriptomics to identify the microalgae strains that can best convert sugar into oils. They’ve now raised $50M, employ 65 people, and are launching a ski & snowboard line, among other projects involving materials and products made with microalgae-based oils. Goodbye, petroleum. #Startup #GenomicsStartup #Biotech #SynBio
“I was being broken down as a parent, you are automatically trained not to trust your instincts but to trust what a doctor is telling you instead.” Kelly du Plessis, a mother of a child with Pompe Disease, talking about her experience trying to find help and build support for her family while navigating the complexities and difficulties of having or caring for someone with a #RareDisease.
On #WorldCancerDay and every other day, we’re working to enable stories like AJ’s. With the help of biomarker testing, he beat stage IV lung cancer eight years ago. #Cancer #Survivor #Genomics Hear AJ's full journey: https://bit.ly/3J1LYaZ
Brianna Scott, Research Associate II, not only remembers her first microscope, but she still has it. "My parents always encouraged my interest in science. I still remember when they bought me my first microscope set." The fact that she held onto a beloved childhood toy— through earning her biology degree from UC San Diego and landing her role at Illumina— also makes it clear why she volunteered to help with the Illumina Future is Bright campaign. The #DNADay program is aiming to impact 50,000 learners in 20 countries in celebration of the discovery of DNA in the month of April. "I think it’s important to foster an interest in science at a young age." We do too. That's why Brianna is our first #RealTimeRevolutionary, changing the world right now. #IlluminaProud #WomenInSTEM #Genomics4All
Herman Branson was a pioneer in #biophysics and a powerful #HBCU advocate. He is best known for his research of the #AlphaHelix, a common protein structure, but he wasn’t always credited for his work. Herman was left off the 1954 Nobel Prize awarded to his colleague Linus Pauling, which he also worked on. While documentation is lacking on what exactly happened, it is clear Herman’s contributions were meaningful, and the discovery was critical for future understandings of the #DNA structure. Herman went on to publish over 100 scientific articles, serve as president of two colleges, and advocate for #HBCUs. He was one of the founders of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. The association still operates today, continuing his legacy of advocacy. #ScientistSpotlight #BHM #BlackHistoryMonth
“My son was born with a disease that has made me stronger.” —Noriko Iwaya, mom to Kouhei, a TTP patient in Japan This week, we are shinning a spotlight on ASrid, a #RareDisease patient advocacy organization based in Japan.
“We are seeing strength across our business as a growing number of patients around the world are accessing the life-saving benefits of genomics. Thank you to our teams, our network of partners and the extraordinary scientists and clinicians we serve. Together, we are enabling genomic-based discoveries that can transform healthcare, and ultimately provide a brighter future for human health.” — Francis deSouza, CEO. Read more about what we achieved in 2021 and our momentum in 2022.
At Illumina, we are proud to support a technical track where leaders like Mark Ross can pursue a parallel career path to functional management. Our Distinguished Scientists focus on leading small teams to achieve ground-breaking innovations within their area of expertise. #Genomics #Careers
Meet the six women who set up Mumbai’s first genome sequencing lab–in just five months. #WomenInScience #Genomics
Understanding the genetic impact on drug metabolism is critical to the future of personalized medicine. CYP2D6 is a well known #pharmacogene that encodes one of the most important drug-metabolizing enzymes and is responsible for the metabolism of about 21% of clinically used drugs. This gene is highly variable (polymorphic) and difficult to differentiate from its pseudogene, CYP2D7. Illumina researchers have developed a new tool called Cyrius to improve genotyping of this critical gene. In this recent publication, Cyrius was able to accurately call genotypes from WGS data with over 99% accuracy. Learn more here. #PGx #NGS #Bioinformatics #Pharmacogenomics
