Quest Diagnostics and Ancestry to collaborate on ancestral DNA testingThe fascination with one’s ancestral history is a defining element of the human experience that can be traced back to man’s earliest inscriptions – drawings etched into the walls of caves to preserve a legacy for generations to come.Fast forward forty millennia and it’s easy to see how this natural curiosity has evolved alongside advancements in genetic mapping. The result is a billion dollar industry that is expanding every year. With that growth comes new opportunities for collaboration.
Today we announced that Quest Diagnostics is teaming up with
AncestryDNA, the leader in family history and consumer genomics, to provide genotyping test services that identify and quantify an individual’s ethnic origins based on results of DNA testing.“People are very interested in their family history, and knowing one’s family health history is very important in helping us manage our health” said Steve Rusckowski, Quest Diagnostics President and CEO. “Sharing our unique capabilities with Ancestry will help everyone learn more about themselves. We look forward to leveraging our tremendous expertise in genetic testing and information to offer a first-in-class experience to Ancestry and its customers.”“We are very excited to be partnering with Quest Diagnostics to offer our consumer DNA test to more consumers around the world,” said Tim Sullivan,
Ancestry President and Chief Executive Officer. “There’s an inherent human need to learn more about who we are as individuals and how we connect to the world around us.”Ancestry selected Quest Diagnostics to provide the services after considering several laboratory organizations through a formal request for proposal process."Quest stood out from all others through the breadth of their vision and their unwavering commitment to quality, as well as being well positioned to partner with us to provide wellness and health traits," said Ken Chahine, Executive Vice President and General Manager of AncestryDNA.Quest Diagnostics will perform genetic testing on Ancestry customer samples at its state-of-the-art laboratory in Marlborough, Mass. The facility uses next-generation sequencing and other cutting edge technologies to provide testing in genetics, inherited cancers, neurological disorders and other complex diseases. Opened in 2013, the 200,000 square foot laboratory can accommodate expected growing demand for AncestryDNA.Quest expects to begin performing testing for Ancestry in the first quarter of 2017. Over time, the two companies intend to explore additional opportunities such as developing tools and applications to guide people on building and understanding their “family medical tree.”
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