My Inspirational Uncle
One of the most influential male role models in my life has been my Uncle Jarret. While I was growing up I always looked up to my uncle. Not only because he was always making me laugh, but also because he was so intelligent. My uncle has a Ph.D. in genetics and is the founder of Cofactor Genomics. Cofactor Genomics is a Contract Research Organization (CRO) formed in 2008, which provides full genome sequencing, DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing and other forms of genetic sequencing. My uncle started here in Tucson, getting his bachelors in Biology from the University of Arizona. From there he went to St Louis, Missouri where he pursued his doctorate at Washington University.
The idea for Cofactor came after the pioneering efforts of the Human Genome Project made genetic sequencing a reality by sequencing the 25,000 or so genes in the human genome. For those of you who do not know, genetic sequencing is the technique used to determine the nucleotide sequence of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA(ribonucleic acid) .The nucleotide sequence is the most fundamental level of knowledge of a gene or genome. It is the blueprint that contains the instructions for building an organism, and no understanding of genetic function or evolution could be complete without obtaining this information. The process is explained more in this video:
The idea for Cofactor came after the pioneering efforts of the Human Genome Project made genetic sequencing a reality by sequencing the 25,000 or so genes in the human genome. For those of you who do not know, genetic sequencing is the technique used to determine the nucleotide sequence of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or RNA(ribonucleic acid) .The nucleotide sequence is the most fundamental level of knowledge of a gene or genome. It is the blueprint that contains the instructions for building an organism, and no understanding of genetic function or evolution could be complete without obtaining this information. The process is explained more in this video:
With the technological advances brought on by Next Gen sequencing, my uncle and two other scientists, Matt Hickenbotham and Ryan Richt, were able to purchase their first Next Gen genome analyzer and start Cofactor. The Next Gen genome analyzer directly translates chemically encoded information (A, C, G, T) into digital information (0, 1) on a semiconductor chip. From here the scientists at Cofactor are able to analyze this data and potentially answer some of biology’s most challenging questions. Medical researchers are very interested in gene sequencing because the process can be used to identify genetic abnormalities. Researchers are also optimistic that the technique may someday lead to cures for specific conditions, along with additional general knowledge about the genomes of humans and other animals that could be useful. It's used today to test samples of material from fetuses to check for common genetic conditions and from parents who are concerned about passing down hereditary diseases.In addition to being of interest to the medical field, gene sequencing interests scientists, because it allows them to set up a genetic clock to see when various traits emerged. This information can also be used to predict when an organism first appeared on Earth, and what it looked like at various points in its evolutionary lifetime. Criminologists also use DNA testing in their work, using common markers to test unknown samples against known DNA to see if someone was present at the scene of a crime.
Since 2008, Cofactor Genomics has been very successful. They now have multiple sequencing platforms and have completed more than 3,000 projects to date. Cofactor has been featured in several nationwide publications as well as done business with high profile clients such as Ozzy Osbourne. My uncle and his coworkers are an inspiration to me. I am amazed that biology has brought the human race so far. I hope to one day have a job in the biology field and I feel lucky to have great role models to lead me down the right path to pursue my dreams.