Many light green cells slowly floating and moving next to each other in a dark green space.

Many light green cells slowly floating and moving next to each other in a dark green space.

Science

Introducing Somatic Genomics

Revealing a new universe of genetic information 

We contain not one, but trillions of divergent genomes throughout our bodies, the sum of which we call our somatic genome. Somatic Genomics studies this library of variant genomes that contains vastly more genetic information than we ever thought possible.

Illuminating a new field of biology

We thought we had just one genome. It turns out we have trillions.

Somatic mutations are random genetic changes that occur in each of our trillions of cells. Some genetic changes can make a cell resistant or vulnerable to disease, while others can cause disease. This variation may account for why healthy and diseased cells can co-exist in the same tissue.

A multitude of cellular clinical trials

Intrinsically validated target selection at the cellular level

Natural selection conducts a process akin to a clinical trial at the cellular level to test somatic mutations, identifying which ones protect from, drive, fight, or counter disease. 

Novel links between genes and disease are constantly emerging inside every tissue – yet have remained invisible to traditional genetics approaches. Illuminating beneficial and disease-causing variants can open vast potential to develop novel medicines that imitate or inhibit a variant’s impact.

Publications

Learn more about the science of Somatic Genomics

Platform

Discovering novel connections

Impact

Near limitless possibilities