Consumer Genetics Conference to take place in Boston from Oct. 3-5

The 4th Annual Consumer Genetics Conference, taking place October 3-5 at the Seaport Hotel in Boston, will include a keynote presentation by George Church that will provide a forthright and candid assessment of new sequencing technologies, including the emergence of nanopore DNA sequencing, current trends in personal genomics, and projections on the future path of medical genomics. A professor of genetics at the Harvard Medical School, Dr. Church will close the event's first day in an address that touches on his new book which will be launched hours prior: Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves (co-authored with science writer Ed Regis).

One of the best known and most highly respected molecular geneticists in the country, George Church is a pioneer in two broad areas of molecular biology: DNA sequencing technology and synthetic biology. He is the founder of the Personal Genome Project and founder or advisor to numerous DNA sequencing and genome analysis companies, including 23andMe, Knome, NABsys and Genia - major genomics, sequencing and direct-to-consumer genetics companies.

The opening day of the conference includes a number of marquee presentations, including Princeton professor Lee Silver (author of Remaking Eden), who will discuss whether the commercialization environment is currently optimized for personal genetic freedom. It will also include a featured presentation by Stan Lapidus, CEO/founder of SynapDx, who will describe successful business formation and value creation in diagnostics.

The second day of the conference will then offer varying perspectives on the business and translation of personalized genomics. Panel discussions will explore topics such as venture capital, investment banking and the financial cycle from funding to IPO, highlighting the metrics by which VCs and bankers make their decisions. Day two will also emphasize the physician's perspective on incorporating genomic technologies into the clinic and answer questions such as: how practical is it?

Day three will be all about empowering patients and applications of genomics into personal quests for disease propensities, prenatal and neonatal diagnostics, nutrition, vitamins, cosmetics, and weight management programs. 23andMe, the first company to seek FDA approval of its DNA test, and Knome, a provider of ground-breaking informatics technologies and human genome interpretation tools, will describe developments in exome and whole genome sequencing and how their products are helping to empower patients while improving clinical care.