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Embark
Company typePrivate
IndustryGenetic Genealogy
Founded2015; 9 years ago (2015)
FoundersAdam Boyko
Ryan Boyko
Matt Salzberg
Spencer Wells
HeadquartersBoston, Massachusetts
ProductsEmbark Dog DNA Test
Websiteembarkvet.com

Embark is a canine genomics and biotechnology company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company offers dog DNA testing services to consumers, breeders, and veterinarians.

History

Embark was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2015 by brothers Adam Boyko and Ryan Boyko, Matt Salzberg, and Spencer Wells.[1][2] Prior to the formation of the company, the Boyko brothers spent nearly a decade collecting thousands of DNA samples from dogs for research into the origin of dogs and what DNA can reveal about their health. This led to the formation of Embark, which sells dog DNA tests to dog owners, veterinarians and breeders.[1][3][4][5] Embark's stated goals are to help pet owners better understand their dog's health and risk for heritable diseases, and to advance canine DNA research in general.[1]

Adam Boyko is an assistant professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.[5] Ryan Boyko, the company’s CEO, was an independent researcher at Cornell[1] and studied computer science and biology at Harvard University.[6] Wells, the chief product officer, directed the Genographic Project at the National Geographic Society, and Salzberg is a founder of meal delivery company Blue Apron.[1]

In March 2016, Embark launched publicly with a presentation by the Boyko brothers at South by Southwest.[1][7][8] That year, the startup began offering its DNA tests for dogs.[9] In 2016, Embark raised a $1.6 million seed round investment, from lead investors Slow Ventures and Aspiration Growth Fund.[1] The company raised an additional $4.5 million in seed funding in the summer of 2017, led by Founder Collective, and including 23andMe founder Anne Wojcicki.[2][10]

In 2017, Embark relocated its headquarters from Austin to Boston, with its main science team remaining in Ithaca, New York.[9][3] That year, the company was inducted into the McGovern Center, Cornell's incubator for life science companies.[11] Embark is a research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.[5][8]

Criticism

The company uses submitted genetic data for research unless the customer opts out, raising privacy concerns.[12] Some veterinarians have expressed skepticism about the lack of standards in DNA testing for dogs and the difficulty in properly analyzing and understanding the data, while acknowledging the potential of genetics to treat diseases.[13][14][15] In 2018, NPR reported on shortcomings for DNA tests for dogs, including an incorrect analysis of the genetic data that can lead to unnecessary medical treatment and questionable clinical decisions.[16] In 2018, science journal Nature ran an article by a veterinarian and two scientists stating that "pet genetics must be reined in" to avoid misinterpreting data.[17]

Research

In July 2017, Embark worked with Cornell University to test more than 6,000 dogs of various breeds in order to identify the genetic mutation that causes blue eyes, which was the first research of its kind to be conducted on non-humans. Dog owners conducted DNA tests from Embark, completed online surveys, and Embark and Cornell analyzed the data.[12][18] Researchers discovered a genetic tweak in Siberian Huskies that can cause blue-eyed dogs.[18]

Adam Boyko was part of a team of scientists who in 2015 discovered that the origin of domestic dogs was near Central Asia 15,000 years ago.[19] In 2016, he was the senior author of a study by Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine researchers that was the largest genetic study of dogs to ever be completed, with a collection of samples that included the DNA of more than 10,000 dogs from around the world. The researchers compared dogs of different purebred breeds in a large-scale genome-wide association study. It was published in the journal Nature Communication.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Austin-based startup Embark aims to make mark with DNA testing for dogs". Austin Statesman. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Doggie DNA testing startup gets fresh funds". CNN. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Dog DNA Startup Embark Moved from Austin to Boston — and Raised $4.5M". Austin Inno. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Doggie DNA home tests could help you determine breed". Today. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Dog DNA Testing Gets Its Day". Bloomberg. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  6. ^ "A Startup, Embark, Wants To Be A 23andMe For Dogs". Forbes. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Can Your Dog's DNA Transform Human Health and Aging?". sxsw.com. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Doggie DNA startup wants to learn about human diseases from dog drool". The Verge. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Austin startup Embark - dog DNA tester - relocates to Boston". Austin Statesman. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Doggie DNA startup Embark raises $4.5 million in seed to find your puppy's breed". Techcrunch. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Boyko's Embark goes prime time with Puppy Bowl". cornell.edu. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Genetic Testing Might Have Just Explained Why Huskies' Eyes Can Be Blue". Slate.com. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  13. ^ "DNA testing kits for dogs are super popular. But the testing has some veterinarians pushing standards". USA Today. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  14. ^ "What Vets Think of '23andMe for Dogs'". The Atlantic. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Unlocking the genetic secrets of your dog". avma.org. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Questions Rise About Shortcomings Of DNA Tests For Dogs". NPR. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  17. ^ "As dog DNA testing takes off, experts urge caution". CBS News. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Why Siberian huskies have those brilliant baby blues". National Geographic. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  19. ^ "15,000 Years Ago, Probably in Asia, the Dog Was Born". New York Times. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Cornell Vet School Researchers Publish Largest Ever Study of Dog Genetics". Cornell Daily Sun. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
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