Saving Women’s Lives

Gene sequence mutations predispose people to disease.

Dr. Walter Gilbert conceived the Human Genome Project, enabled by the gene mapping tool that Mark Skolnick and colleagues invented to find the Breast Cancer Gene—BRCA1. To develop genome-based diagnostic products from these insights, Gilbert and Skolnick partnered with Spencer Trask to launch Myriad Genetics.

Myriad discovered BRCA1, which Dr. James Watson, who discovered the helix structure of DNA, called “the most exciting story in medical science.”

Another breakthrough, GeneSight, helps doctors select effective mental health medications based on patients’ unique genetic profiles. The company first reached three additional milestones in the gene sequencing revolution: the world’s first genetic testing laboratory, the first genetic cancer prognosis test, and the first FDA-approved combination DNA-repair drug and diagnostic.

By inventing these innovations and bringing them to market, Myriad has saved and estimated 500,000 lives and enabled many more to make informed decisions and live longer, healthier lives. By understanding the fundamental role genes play in human health, Myriad led the shift in medicine from treating symptoms to predicting and preventing disease with sequencing.