New York-based genetics startup, Nucleus Genomics, is pushing the boundaries of personal medicine, offering potential parents a unique service using whole-genome data to generate ‘polygenic’ risk scores. These scores provide parents with predictions on their embryo’s intelligence, height, appearance, potential lifespan, and probabilities for common diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. Despite the limited accuracy of IQ predictions, founder Kian Sadeghi emphasizes the value of this additional genetic information for informed parental decision-making.
For a price of $5,999, Nucleus Genomics enables prospective parents to rank embryos created during in vitro fertilization (IVF) based on projected IQ, height, eye color, nearly 900 health-related traits, and other features before choosing which to implant. The company sources the whole-genome data from partner labs, crunches the numbers, and delivers a comprehensive dashboard outlining each embryo’s predicted characteristics and lifespan, alongside the probabilities for major diseases.
While the company acknowledges that trait forecasts are probabilistic and that IQ predictions remain limited in accuracy, Sadeghi believes that parents deserve this extra information. “The longevity movement is about taking medicine back and putting it in the people’s hands,” Sadeghi told the Wall Street Journal, emphasizing the importance of informed choice when it comes to a decision as significant as choosing one’s child.
Nucleus Genomics is pioneering a much more advanced approach than traditional pre-implantation testing, which primarily screens for chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome or single-gene disorders like Tay-Sachs. Nucleus pushes far beyond that, employing sophisticated algorithms that sift through hundreds or thousands of genetic variants to estimate future traits.
Notably, this service marks the first time a company has openly partnered with couples to optimize their embryos based on intelligence. As Sadeghi pointed out in his announcement video, “Nucleus Embryo is for couples doing IVF to uncover the full profile of each embryo in one intuitive platform. You can explore your future child’s health, appearance and even their wellbeing.”
However, Nucleus Genomics won’t be conducting the biopsies itself. Instead, it relies on Genomic Prediction, a clinical lab that has already screened 120,000 embryos for IVF clinics worldwide and provided disease scores on around 5,000 of them, according to Chief Scientific Officer Nathan Treff.
This innovative approach not only broadens the horizons of personalized medicine and genetic testing but also stimulates a dialogue about the ethical and societal implications of selecting embryos based on desired traits. The potential impacts of such tests on future generations and the looming concept of ‘designer babies’ necessitate thoughtful consideration. As the interest in personalized medicine and genetic testing continues to expand, the market for embryo ranking services like those offered by Nucleus Genomics may experience significant growth as more individuals seek to make informed choices about their future children’s genetic makeup.
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