DNA Simple: Making Genetic Research Easier

The other night, my girlfriend and I were watching an episode of "Shark Tank". I'm not sure if any of you have heard of this show, but the premise is people try to pitch business ideas to a group of moguls. Based on the persuasiveness of the presentation, the judges decide if they want to invest in the business or not. On this particular episode, there was a guy named Oliver Noel who is the CEO and founder of DNA Simple. Noel is a geneticist who is currently studying for his M.D. and Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He is a Haitian immigrant who moved to the United States after the devastating earthquakes that struck Haiti in 2010. He worked his way through college attaining a Bachelor's with a double major in Chemistry and Biochemistry and a Master's. Throughout his time as a undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral student Noel noticced that is was quite difficult to find sufficient amounts of human DNA for genetic research. This may be due financial and geological limitations.  During the pitch Noel stated "Some researchers, in a five-year grant, you spend three to four years to recruit people," he explains. "Literally there are studies that die because — let's say you're doing a study where you need 1,000 blacks or Hispanics. I'm in Hershey, Pa. No offense, it would take about 100 years to get those people." He went on to say that less than %5 of clinical trials have minorities in them. This is very difficult for geneticists because this shows that there is not enough genetic variability available to properly conduct effective genetic research. This is very alarming, because without this vital research there may be no way to stop future pandemics.

The basic business model of DNA Simple is to provide sufficient amounts of DNA for various genetic studies. This is done by allowing volunteers to register online and enter their personal and family medical histories. If this information lines up with a study that needs individuals with similar backgrounds, the volunteer will be sent a at home swab test. As compensation for participating in this research, they will be paid $50. And for every study their DNA is  used for, they will be paid another $50. And it is all 100% anonymous. This is very similar to blood and plasma banks. This company could be revolutionary in genetic research and disease control. One of the judges, billionaire Mark Cuban, was so intrigued by the business that he decided to invest $200,000 of his own money into the company. I would want to make some extra money, I left a link to register for DNA Simple down below.

Sources:

https://www.dnasimple.org/users/87303

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/13/mark-cuban-invested-200000-in-dna-simple-on-shark-tank-heres-why.html