"Personalized medicine" — the quest to tailor treatments to a patient's genetic blueprint — is a hot topic in Silicon Valley. Advances in genomic research have inspired a wave of startups devoted to diagnostics and new therapies that should improve health care and reduce costs.
Hundreds of valley professionals are expected to attend a two-day educational and business conference devoted to the subject starting Tuesday at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, billed as the first of its kind in Silicon Valley.
The first Personalized Medicine World Conference, dubbed PMWC 2010 and co-hosted by the Stanford Hospital and Clinics, is being offered as a primer for investment bankers, investors, attorneys, accountants and entrepreneurs exploring the field, organizers say.
Many observers say personalized medicine is a promising field that will be a growing sector of the valley's economy for years to come.
"I see all the signs of a big wave coming," said veteran venture capitalist Amos Barzilay, a member of advisory board of Silicom Ventures, which organized the conference. A session on personalized medicine at a recent health-care conference in San Francisco was so crowded, Barzilay said, "investment bankers were sitting on the floor."
Organizers of the Silicon Valley event say topics to be discussed range from evolving therapies for cancer and heart disease to regulatory issues. Several "up-and-coming companies"
are scheduled to make presentations, organizers say.AdvertisementRepresentatives of dozens of life-science companies — including giants like Genentech, cutting-edge research firms like Complete Genomics, and consumer-oriented startups like Navigenics and 23andMe — are scheduled to participate.
Contact Scott Duke Harris at sdharris@mercurynews.com or 408-920-2704.
Interesting article about personalized medicine... Members of our house call practices? How is important is your genetics to you? Should our affiliates incorporate your genetic testing into your treatment plan? Love to hear your feedback...
To Your Best Health,
The Personal Medicine Team
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