Start-up tries to transform medicine by applying deep learning to genomics

Washington

TWELVE years ago was a low point for Brendan Frey. His wife was pregnant at the time, and genetic counsellors told the couple that something was wrong with the baby.

"There was a problem, but they really couldn't tell us how serious it was," Mr Frey recalled. "It was sort of a genetic problem that could be nothing or could be disastrous." The couple struggled with stress and emotional pain. Mr Frey was frustrated with how little was known about the causes of genetic diseases and with the lack of treatments. So he decided to make a huge change in this life.