EDNA (“ED-nuh”) revolutionizes personal genomics by combining advanced T2T whole genome sequencing with blockchain technology to give individuals full ownership and control of their genetic data. Our platform enables users to monetize their DNA through secure, ethical transactions with researchers and biopharma, turning genetic information into a valuable asset. We democratize access with a DeFi micro-lending model, empowering underprivileged communities to participate. EDNA’s mission is to bridge science, technology, and social equity, fostering innovation in personalized medicine while ensuring privacy, data security, transparency, and financial inclusion for all. With EDNA, human DNA becomes a pathway to better health and more wealth for everyone.
EDNA’s mission is to empower individuals to control, protect, and monetize their genetic data while advancing healthcare innovation. By combining advanced whole genome sequencing, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence, EDNA ensures that genetic data remains a personal asset. The company seeks to democratize access to genomics, bridging equity gaps, and creating opportunities for those who may otherwise be excluded. EDNA envisions a future where genetic insights not only improve health but also provide financial empowerment.
EDNA employs a DeFi micro-lending platform of sorts to provide access to genetic sequencing for underserved populations. Our system enables individuals in impoverished environments to sequence their DNA without upfront costs, using fully collateralized non-qualifying loans backed by blockchain smart contracts. These are repaid by smart-contract automation as the data is monetized. By ensuring global access to state-of-the-art sequencing technology, EDNA breaks down barriers of cost and geography.
Genetic data is highly valuable to researchers and biopharma, yet individuals often lose control over it when they use traditional genetic testing services. EDNA ensures that users retain ownership and decide how their data is shared. This approach protects privacy, provides transparency, and allows individuals to profit from their genetic information.
Blockchain ensures data integrity, privacy, and transparency by creating immutable records of transactions. EDNA uses blockchain to store genetic data securely, track data-sharing agreements, and manage financial transactions through smart contracts. This system gives users full control over their genetic information while maintaining robust security against unauthorized access.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) decodes nearly all 3 billion base pairs of DNA in an individual’s genome. EDNA uses advanced sequencing platforms like Illumina NovaSeq and Oxford Nanopore PromethION to ensure accuracy and completeness. By utilizing the T2T-CHM13 reference genome, EDNA provides a gapless, high-resolution dataset of a quality permissible in medical diagnostic use called “Q-70”.
EDNA leverages state-of-the-art sequencing technology and robust quality control measures to achieve high accuracy; even suitable for clinical diagnostic use. We are not aware of any other service that delivers Q-70 and above results. The use of the T2T-CHM13 reference genome minimizes errors, and proprietary algorithms validate the sequencing data. This combination results in data that is 99.998% accurate, and covers the entirety of the human genome.
GRCh38, the older reference genome, covers only 92% of the genome, leaving gaps in difficult-to-sequence regions like telomeres and centromeres. T2T-CHM13, by contrast, is a gapless reference that sequences 100% of the genome. EDNA uses T2T-CHM13 to provide more comprehensive and valuable data for research and precision medicine.
EDNA employs AI to analyze genetic data, identify pathogenic variants, search for novel variants and to predict health risks. These insights help genetic counselors provide actionable recommendations to users. AI also powers data searches for researchers, improving the efficiency and precision of studies.
This integration ensures secure data management, advanced analytics, and ethical monetization. Blockchain protects user data while enabling transparent transactions. AI extracts actionable insights from genomic data, while blockchain smart-contacts provide a secure marketplace for users to monetize their information.
EDNA provides advanced whole genome sequencing, genetic counseling through partners, and a platform for monetizing and/or investing in genetic data. Users can securely share their data with researchers or biopharma companies through blockchain-managed smart contracts.
Certified genetic counselors can create profiles on EDNA’s platform and connect with users for consultations. The platform verifies counselor credentials and facilitates secure, private end-to-end encrypted interactions between counselors and users.
The DeFi micro-lending platform helps individuals in underserved areas access genetic sequencing services. Investors fund the platform, and borrowers repay the loans through data monetization. This model helps foster advances in genetic science and medicine and provides for significant profits to investors while broadening access to sequencing and providing the impoverished access to their financial resources.
EDNA provides researchers with access to high-quality, consented genetic datasets. The platform includes tools for targeted searches, allowing researchers to find exact data that meets their varied specific needs.
Yes, EDNA’s platform notifies users of research participation opportunities and forces them to explicitly opt in each time. This ensures users maintain control over how their data is used, and where and to whom it is authorized.
Users can sell their genetic data directly to researchers or companies via EDNA’s blockchain-powered platform. Smart contracts ensure transparency and fair compensation. Users are notified though EDNA’s smart phone and web apps that their genetics received an lending offer, with a few clicks they can review the offer details and decide to opt in or not.
EDNA positions DNA as a valuable, monetizable resource. By treating genetic data as an asset, EDNA creates opportunities for individuals to generate income from their unique biological information. This also opens the door to permitting investors in aiding impoverished communities in “mining” these assets. Communities elevate their standards of living, investors earn returns and research advances medical science.
EDNA estimates that a healthy persons genome ranges from $200,000 to $500,000 and more for uncommon or specifically targeted genomes depending on demand and research applications. EDNA plans to publicly provide real-time market statistical data as soon as it is available. See the EDNA Investors webpage for more.
Compensation is managed through blockchain smart contracts, which handle escrow account distributions, transparently allocating funds to users. Ultimately, the “fair market compensation” of the DNA asset is determined by what a buyer will pay and a seller will accept. The EDNA free market provides for a 100% transparent and inherently more fair system. EDNA does not charge fees for donated data, aligning with its ethical principles. We believe that if our users feel strongly enough about a given research effort to donate their property to the cause, then so do we.
Smart contracts automate the exchange of data and payments. They ensure that users receive agreed-upon compensation and that data-sharing agreements are honored securely. See the EDNA Essentials webpage “Blockchain” video for a deeper exploration.
EDNA employs state-of-the-art encryption and secure blockchain protocols to protect user data. All transactions require user consent and are fully transparent. This topic is core to both EDNA’s values and our technology. Anyone with questions or concerns about privacy should review the video on the EDNA Privacy & Security page.
EDNA prioritizes informed consent, user control, and privacy. The company adheres to global data protection laws and emphasizes transparency in its all of it’s operations.
Blockchain technology provides an immutable record of all transactions, ensuring any user can verify how their data is shared and monetized. Our Researcher Terms of Service are quite strict, public, and enforced by our technology. The record of all transactions is completely public and yet “hidden” at the same time since only the EDNA usernames (like “Jane3535”) is public information.
Advanced end-to-end encryption, multi-factor and bio-authentication, plus regular security audits and air-gapped servers prevent most unauthorized access. Blockchain’s decentralized nature further enhances security. However that is just the beginning. Should a nefarious player gain access to any of EDNA’s systems, they would have access to exactly nothing useful. Traditional companies store data in a database. This is like a bank vault. Break in the vault and the robber gets the prize. EDNA doesn’t have a database. No vault. Instead each user has what amounts to a safe deposit box, and EDNA has no keys. The data belongs to the user and so do the keys. What we do have is plenty of fake (empty) deposit box accounts. We’re a very poor target choice for a hacker.
Data misuse prevention is quite involved, technical and part of our security protocols (meaning we don’t talk much about this “first rule”). Again, we’d refer you to the EDNA Privacy & Security page for information on what we can disclose.
EDNA’s platform adheres to data protection laws like GDPR and HIPAA. It also incorporates region-specific compliance measures to ensure global usability. All researchers and genetic counselors authorized on the platform are required to do the same.
EDNA operates at the intersection of biotechnology, AI, and blockchain, offering a unique value proposition that differentiates it from competitors. By focusing on user privacy, data security, and high-quality whole genome sequencing, EDNA addresses the growing demand for precision medicine and ethically sourced genetic data. With its innovative DeFi micro-lending platform, EDNA is also expanding it’s availability to underserved populations, broadening its market appeal, access and penetration.
Several factors, including declining costs of sequencing, advancements in technology, previously shelved research that is now affordable and the rise of precision medicine, are accelerating the adoption of whole genome sequencing. Additionally, increased awareness of genetic predispositions to diseases and the growing demand for personalized healthcare solutions are key drivers. Added to this the advancements in stem-cell therapies, the emergence of personalized “pill factories” using genetics to reduce often dangerous medication side effects while improving results and the recent admission of many scientists that “Junk DNA” is probably better explained as “We don’t yet know what it does”. All of these are making the case for WGS.
EDNA’s micro-lending platform enables individuals from underserved regions to access genome sequencing services without upfront costs. By allowing these individuals to monetize their genetic data, EDNA not only empowers them financially but also facilitates equitable participation in genomic research and healthcare advancements. Further, their underrepresentation in human genetic datasets increases their data’s value to research. For example African DNA data makes up less than 2% of sequenced data and Latino less than 3%. Our T2T Advanced sequencing whole genomes are even more rare. Because the genetic assets are rare, they are more valuable and more likely to produce fast and large returns enticing DNA as an asset investors to provide the needed collateral for EDNA to execute that service.
Our model ensures that individuals from impoverished communities can benefit from cutting-edge genomics without financial barriers. By linking these individuals to researchers and biopharma, EDNA democratizes access to healthcare innovations and creates new financial opportunities for those who need them most. We are quite aware that we don’t have a complete solution to this challenging problem. But undoubtedly we have a start.
While specific partnerships may be confidential, EDNA actively collaborates with biopharmaceutical companies, academic researchers, and genetic counselors to ensure its platform meets the needs of various stakeholders. These partnerships help bridge the gap between data contributors and healthcare innovations, and our lists are growing.
EDNA provides researchers and biopharmaceutical companies with access to high-quality, diverse genomic datasets. These datasets help identify genetic markers for diseases, enabling the development of targeted therapies and accelerating drug discovery processes. Our AI workflow is designed to highlight and extract both known pathogenic conditions for counseling and novel genetic variants for research. The challenge here is the rarity of advanced T2T genomic data. For much of the process our AI is forced to “downgrade” the analysis of an incoming genome to older GRCh38 tech to see a “match” and take action. We expect this will enhance our ability to contribute in the long run.
EDNA’s partner genetic counseling services and our detailed genome analysis empower individuals to understand their genetic predispositions to various diseases. This knowledge enables early intervention, lifestyle adjustments, and personalized prevention strategies. A high-quality genetic sequence really should be everyone’s first step in preventative healthcare.
Genetic counselors can use EDNA’s platform to access comprehensive genetic data and AI-powered analysis tools. These resources enhance their ability to quickly and accurately interpret complex genetic information and provide actionable advice to their clients. We also offer them a zero up-front cost platform to promote their services within an environment that strongly recommends counseling at every opportunity. We’re giant fans of what they do, and if there is anyway we can improve their experience on our platform, ask and “we’re on it”.
By offering precise genetic insights and promoting early detection of genetic risks, EDNA helps individuals and healthcare providers implement effective, tailored interventions. This proactive approach improves long-term health outcomes and reduces the burden of chronic diseases.
EDNA expects its platform to contribute to breakthroughs in understanding rare diseases, developing targeted therapies, and advancing pharmacogenomics. By democratizing access to high-quality genetic data, EDNA aims to accelerate innovation across the genomics field.
EDNA was founded in 2018 by Greg Simpson, who envisioned a platform that empowers individuals to control and monetize their genetic data while driving advancements in genomics. While, the idea first occurred in 2010 when Greg was working on Oracle Corporation’s compliance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, it had to wait for later innovations in blockchain security, proof-of-stake affordability and smart-contract functionality to be practical.
EDNA was born out of the recognition that individuals often lose control of their valuable genetic data to traditional testing companies. Greg Simpson aimed to create a solution that prioritizes user ownership, privacy, and financial empowerment.
EDNA is currently a startup in the seed stage. The company has developed its core technologies, including blockchain-based data security and AI-powered genetic analysis, has acquired several initial early adopter customers and put down boots on the African continent, and is now focused on scaling laboratory operations, expanding its market reach and refining a user-friendly app interface.
EDNA is partially funded through founder investment and a small S.A.F.E. note angel investor raise. The company is currently seeking $5 million in funding to expand laboratory facilities and operations, with projections to generate tens of millions in annual revenue within three years by increasing data sales and leveraging cost-effective genome sequencing.
Journalists and podcasters can reach out to Greg Simpson, EDNA’s founder, ant others at team@ednalabs.io Additional resources, including press kits and investment opportunities, are available on EDNA’s website, or on request. The team is open to interviews and collaborations to share EDNA’s vision and mission.
