Cofactor Genomics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology |
| Founded | August 2008 |
| Founder | Jarret Glasscock, Matt Hickenbotham, Ryan Richt |
| Headquarters | St. Louis , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jarret Glasscock (CEO), Jon Armstrong (CSO), David Messina (COO) |
| Products | Drug development, medical research, personalized medicine |
Cofactor Genomics is a biotech firm focused on drug development, medical research, and personalized medicine.
Overview
Established in August 2008 by Jarret Glasscock, Matt Hickenbotham, and Ryan Richt, Cofactor Genomics leveraged breakthroughs in Next Gen sequencing technology after departing from Washington University Genome Center. Their initial capital was secured through an angel investor based in California, enabling the acquisition of their first genome analyzer. By November 2013, the company inaugurated a 10,000 ft2 main office located in St. Louis, Missouri, alongside satellite locations in San Diego and San Francisco. In July 2015, Cofactor was awarded a $1.5 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse at NIH. The company’s clientele includes notable figures such as Ozzy Osbourne, and it participates in wildlife conservation efforts involving species like the White Rhino and Black-footed ferret.
Executive officers
Jarret Glasscock, co-founder and CEO, earned his undergraduate degree in biology with an emphasis on computer science from the University of Arizona. He completed his PhD in genetics at Washington University in St. Louis under the mentorship of Warren Gish, the creator of the NCBI BLAST software.
Jon Armstrong serves as chief scientific officer, holding a master’s degree in neuroscience and having dedicated nine years to Washington University’s Genome Center Technology Development Group.
David Messina, chief operating officer, possesses nearly two decades of expertise in computational biology and genetics. His background includes participation in the Human Genome Project at Washington University, training at the University of Chicago, and obtaining a PhD in computational biology from Stockholm, Sweden.