Consumer Genetics Conference 2012 Kicks Off This Week in Boston Featuring Preeminent Leaders in Industry, Academia, Medicine and Government to Examine Advancements, Applications, Issues and Challenges in Personal Genomics and 21st Century Healthcare

~Harvards Professor of Genetics George Church to Discuss his New Book During Keynote~ ~X PRIZE Foundation Special Announcement on Day One~ ~Three Days of Presentations, Panel Discussions and Lively Interchange at this Highly Interactive and Unique Forum Expected To Help Shape and Guide This Emerging Industry ~

Newswise Boston, MA, October 1, 2012 -- The 4th Annual Consumer Genetics Conference takes place this week, October 3-5 at the Boston Seaport Hotel. This unique interactive forum, will highlight three major themes regarding this burgeoning industry: Technology (Day 1), Business & Translation (Day 2) and Applications (Day 3). Presentations will specifically cover a variety of topics including: personal genomics, next and third generation sequencing, molecular diagnostics, industry funding and investment, and the current and future applications of genomics in clinical practices and as well as in nutrition, food genetics and cosmetics.

Along with program presentations and panel sessions, there are several notable keynote addresses and a few major news announcements: Day One will open with Lee Silver, Professor of Molecular Biology and Public Affairs of Princeton University presenting: Self-Discovery in the Age of personal Genomics (8:45 a.m.). This presentation will explore how consumer genetics has blossomed from infancy to adolescence with an array of consumer-facing products. It will also examine how this cottage industry is still struggling with growing pains as it faces a mix of regulators, restless innovators, and demanding and empowered patients.

Day One will also highlight: A keynote by George Church, Professor of Genetics and Director of the Center for Computational Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Father of the Personal Genome Project, will be given at the close of Day One (5:20 p.m.) with Professor Church providing a candid assessment of new sequencing technologies, current trends in personal genomics and projections on the future path of genomics in medicine. This address will come in the wake of his new book launch: Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves. Professor Church will be available for conversations and interviews following his presentation. A welcome reception will take place at 6:00 p.m.

There will also be a special X PRIZE Foundation announcement at the Consumer Genetics Conference about the Archon Genomics X PRIZE presented by Express Scripts in the afternoon at the Conference on October 3rd. This announcement will be consistent with X Prizes overall mission which is to bring about radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. In this case, the news is expected to usher in a new era of personalized medicine through whole genome sequencing. [More information can be obtained by contacting Grant Company, Senior Director & Prize Lead for the Genomics X PRIZE, who will be in attendance at the conference in Boston.]

The featured presentation on Day 2 will be delivered by Marc Salit, Group Leader, National Institute of Standards and Technology, where he will present: Genome-in-a Bottle: Reference Materials and Methods for Confidence in Whole Genome Sequencing. In this presentation, he will explore the need for reference materials, methods and data to measure results for sound, reproducible research and regulated applications of whole genomic sequencing in the clinic.

Also on Day Two there will be two notable panel presentations: VC and Investment Banking panel (10:45 a.m.) focused on the corporate criteria they look for when funding companies involved in genomics, and the metrics that guide their decisions. A Physicians Perspective on deploying genomics and sequencing data in preventative and clinical care (1:45 p.m.)

On Day 3, the keynote will be presented by Kenneth Chahine of Ancestry.com, which has the worlds largest online resource for family history with an extensive collection of over 10 billion historical records. This keynote will focus on their new direct-to-consumer genealogical DNA test that delivers (i) prediction of identity-by-descent and a test that allows customers to find genetic relatives , and (ii) the individuals admixture to provide a predicted genetic ethnicity.

Highlights on Day Three will also include:

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Consumer Genetics Conference 2012 Kicks Off This Week in Boston

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