Baylor Genetics and Baylor College of Medicine Announce New Lab Agreement with Shared Commitment to Innovation and Rapid Implementation to get Critical Testing to Patients
New lab currently provides Whole Transcriptomic RNA Sequencing for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network’s nationwide clinical institutions
Houston, Texas, August 5, 2024 – Baylor Genetics, a joint venture clinical diagnostic laboratory at the forefront of genetic testing, and the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine have entered a lab agreement focusing on innovation and high-risk projects that have potentially great clinical impact. This latest collaboration allows for the translation of cutting-edge research into clinical diagnostics, benefiting from BCM’s academic and medical expertise and the clinical diagnostic expertise of Baylor Genetics, in anticipation of larger scale launch when commercially feasible.
The new lab – the Medical Genetics Multi-Omics Laboratory (MGML) – launched its first clinical test, Whole Transcriptomic RNA Sequencing (WT RNAseq), that is offered by Baylor Genetics to the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) and their affiliated institutions. The UDN is a decade-long research study funded by the National Institutes of Health that brings together clinical and research experts from across the United States to solve the most challenging medical mysteries and gain diagnostic answers for patients with rare, undiagnosed disorders. Baylor Genetics has served as the sequencing core for the UDN since its inception in 2014, providing Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), interpretation, validation and reporting for patients with complex and rare genetic diseases, as well as RNAseq on a research basis.1
Through this new relationship with MGML, Baylor Genetics will now offer clinical reporting of Whole Transcriptomic RNA sequencing. This new test, unlike targeted RNA Sequencing that is currently offered by Baylor Genetics and other labs, does not focus solely on the interpretation of already identified variants by WES or WGS. In addition, it analyzes all RNA molecules expressed in skin cells and/or blood to identify disease causing candidate genes that may be missed by the initial analysis of WGS and WES. Previous studies have suggested that this combined approach may increase the diagnostic yield of WGS/WES along by 10-17%.2
“This exciting collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine exemplifies our commitment to providing answers for patients and providers,” said Kengo Takishima, President & CEO, Baylor Genetics. “The future of healthcare is personalized, and the addition of Whole Transcriptomic RNA Sequencing ensures we’re meeting patients where they are. We remain dedicated to pushing the boundaries of genomics, leveraging our deep expertise and comprehensive insights to transform healthcare and improve lives, even in the most challenging cases.”
Researchers at MGML intend to expand product offerings for both commercial and clinical settings – channeling Baylor Genetics’ and BCM’s legacy of discovery and rapid implementation so patients can access testing and treatment more quickly.
“This agreement, and the MGML lab, bring to life our vision of innovation, allowing us to co-develop new tests, evaluate in terms of clinical utility, and offer commercially in either a research or clinical setting,” said Dr. Brendan Lee, MD, PhD, Professor, Chair and Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, and Scientific Advisory and Board of Directors member at Baylor Genetics. “Baylor Genetics is turning around critical high-volume testing, but the challenge is also maintaining our innovative edge and our position as leaders in discovery and genomic health implementation. This agreement is a realization of the vision when Baylor Genetics was founded 10 years ago.”
Baylor Genetics is a joint venture of Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), which has the #1 NIH-funded Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and H.U. Group Holdings, a leading Japanese clinical diagnostic testing company. All Baylor Genetics’ clinical and medical directors are faculty members of BCM.
About Baylor Genetics
A pioneer of precision medicine for over 45 years, Baylor Genetics is a leading diagnostic genomics partner offering a full spectrum of clinically relevant genetic testing, including Whole Genome Sequencing, Whole Exome Sequencing, and focused panels. A joint venture of H.U. Group Holdings, Inc. and Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor Genetics couples the fastest and most comprehensive precision diagnostics options with the support of genetic counselors to help clinicians and their patients avoid a lengthy diagnostic odyssey, guide medical management, and make sure no patient with a genetic disorder gets left behind. Its test menu spans from family planning, pregnancy, neonatal and pediatric testing, oncology, and specialized test options. Baylor Genetics is located in Houston’s Texas Medical Center and serves clients in 50 states and 16 countries.
About Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is recognized as a health sciences university and is known for excellence in education, research and patient care. Baylor is a top-ranked medical school and listed 20th among all U.S. medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding and No. 1 in Texas. Located in the Texas Medical Center, Baylor has affiliations with seven teaching hospitals and jointly owns and operates Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, part of St. Luke’s Health. Currently, Baylor has more than 3,000 trainees in medical, graduate, nurse anesthesia, physician assistant, orthotics and genetic counseling as well as residents and postdoctoral fellows.
- Ketkar S, Burrage LC, Lee B. RNA Sequencing as a Diagnostic Tool. JAMA. 2023 Jan 3;329(1):85-86. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.22843. PMID: 36525251.
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