Cofactor Genomics

Cofactor Genomics is a biotech company founded by past Human Genome Project Scientists. Cofactor's mission is to enable drug development, medical research, and personalized medicine using RNA-based information and technologies.

Cofactor Genomics
TypePrivate
IndustryBiotechnology and Bioinformatics Services
FoundedSt. Louis, Missouri, U.S. (2008 (2008))
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Jarret Glasscock (CEO), Jon Armstrong (CSO), David Messina (COO)
Websitewww.cofactorgenomics.com

Overview

Cofactor Genomics was founded in August 2008[1] after the pioneering efforts of the Human Genome Project made human Genome Sequencing a reality by sequencing an entire Human Reference genome.[2] It was after the technological advances brought on by Next Gen sequencing[3] that three scientists from The Genome Center[4] at Washington University noted that sequencing services could be performed by “three [scientists] in a garage.” In August 2008, Jarret Glasscock, Matt Hickenbotham and Ryan Richt left the Genome Center and purchased their first Next Gen genome analyzer with the capital raised from an angel investor in California.[1][5] Cofactor has since been featured in several nationwide publications as well as done business with high profile clients such as Ozzy Osbourne.[6][7][8][9][10] Cofactor is involved in a number of other highly publicized research projects, including the preservation of the White Rhino and the Black Footed Ferret. Cofactor Genomics focuses on RNA-Seq applications with the ability to handle low quantity and low quality samples.

In August 2015, Y Combinator backed Cofactor Genomics. In July 2015, Cofactor Genomics was awarded a $1.5 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).[11] In November 2013, Cofactor Genomics opened their 10,000 sq St. Louis, MO headquarters in the newly revitalized Cortex district. The building, originally built in 1956, previously housed the construction of components of the city’s Metrolink Stations.[12] Cofactor Genomics also has offices in San Diego and San Francisco.

Executive officers

Jarret Glasscock is a co-founder as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Cofactor Genomics.[13] Glasscock completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona where he majored in Biology with a focus in the Computer Sciences. Upon graduation, Glasscock pursued his doctorate in Genetics at Washington University in St. Louis where he studied under Warren Gish, developer of the NCBI BLAST sequence analysis program.[13][14][15]

Jon Armstrong, is the Chief Scientific Officer of Cofactor Genomics.[13] After acquiring his Master's Degree in Neuroscience, Mr. Armstrong spent nine years in the Genome Center at Washington University's Technology Development Group.[13]

David Messina is the Chief Operating Officer of Cofactor Genomics. He has spent the last 19 years in computational biology and genetics. He worked on the Human Genome Project at Washington University in Saint Louis, trained in molecular biology and human genetics at the University of Chicago, and earned his PhD in computational biology in Stockholm, Sweden.

References
  1. Cofactor Genomics
  2. "Human Genome Project". Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2010-08-09.
  3. Next-Gen Sequencing Moves To Next Level
  4. The Genome Genter
  5. St. Louis Business Journal: St. Louis startup Cofactor to sequence Ozzy's genome
  6. St. Louis Business Journal
  7. GenomeWeb Ozzy
  8. GenomeWeb Cofactor / Novocraft
  9. A.V. Club
  10. STL Today
  11. https://www.genomeweb.com/research-funding/cofactor-genomics-awarded-15m-nih-grant-circular-rna-enrichment-tech
  12. http://nextstl.com/2014/08/cofactor-genomics/
  13. Cofactor Genomics Contact
  14. Warren Gish Warren Gish Bio
  15. Lopez, R; Silventoinen, V; Robinson, S; Kibria, A; Gish, W. "WU-Blast2 server at the European Bioinformatics Institute". Nucleic Acids Res. 31: 3795–8. doi:10.1093/nar/gkg573. PMC 168979. PMID 12824421.
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