About this talk
Anne Wojcicki of 23andMe talks about the latest in consumer genomic testing at TEDMED 2009!
About Anne Wojcicki
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About Anne
Anne Wojcicki is an American entrepreneur and the co-founder of the personal genetics company, 23andMe. After graduating from Yale with a degree in biology, she spent a decade working as a healthcare investor on Wall Street. This experience convinced her that the healthcare system was focused on treating illness rather than on disease prevention. Driven by her passion for prevention and the potential of genetic data, Wojcicki co-founded 23andMe in 2006. Her goal was to empower individuals by giving them direct access to their own genetic information, which could help them make decisions to lower their risk for disease. Under her leadership, the company grew into a major force in the industry, amassing one of the world’s largest DNA databases with over 15 million samples. 23andMe made history by becoming the first company to receive FDA authorization to market a direct-to-consumer genetic test for health information. By inviting customers to participate in research, the company uses a unique “crowdsourcing” approach to generate scientific discoveries. This novel method is key to Wojcicki’s mission: to use genetic data to find better treatments and cures for everyone. Following a challenging period in the company’s public history, Wojcicki led the acquisition of 23andMe by her newly formed nonprofit, TTAM Research Institute, to reaffirm a mission focused on health equity and ethical science.