It’s (another) hack week! – Color
June 6, 2018
At Color, we believe in new ideas and experimentation. So we’re pretty serious about hack weeks; our product, design, and engineering teams see them as a chance to take a step back from our normal cadence to brainstorm and build new ideas and experiences. In fact, many of... Read MoreFree Swag! (And other less important recruiting issues.)
June 6, 2018
People tend to think of recruiting as an artless career — you interview people, hire them, and the job’s done, right? Well, yes, that’s part of it, but there’s a lot of nuance involved. The recruiting team at Color works on a breadth of projects: from... Read More
Color Q&A: Abdi Khalif, automation engineer – Color
June 6, 2018
Every week (or so) we’re going to chat with someone who’s doing something interesting here at Color. Congratulations, Abdi — you’re the first Color Q&A. Let’s start with your story. Where did you grow up? What interested you as a child? I grew up in Burnaby,... Read MoreA search engine for the human genome Part I: the genome in software
June 6, 2018
Elasticsearch is an open-source, scalable search engine built on top of the Lucene core. First released eight years ago, it has since become among the most popular choices for search infrastructure, with hundreds of companies having deployed it in consumer internet applications.... Read MoreA search engine for the human genome Part II: the case for search
June 6, 2018
In part 1 of this post, we discussed how genomes are represented in software, why comparing them is useful in a clinical lab setting, and some of the constraints around implementing Identity-by-State (IBS). For those who are new to genomics, it’s worth a quick read. To... Read MoreBuilding a high-quality, reliable, and efficient bioinformatics pipeline
June 6, 2018
At Color we provide high-quality, physician-ordered, genetic testing at a low cost. A core component of this service is the bioinformatics pipeline: the software framework that processes data from the DNA sequencers in the clinical lab, finds genomic variants, annotates them for... Read MoreCosmic Serpent: DNA and the great Python 3 Migration
June 6, 2018
(with apologies to Jeremy Narby) Ouroborus, the mythical snake that eats its own tail Like any good software engineering team, we’re always updating our dependencies to make sure we’re running the most secure, bug-free versions. Recently, we tackled our oldest... Read MoreAre You a Future Genetic Counselor? – Color
May 29, 2018
“There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue these.” – Michael Nolan I recently had the opportunity to talk with journalist Turna Ray on the Sequenced podcast about the profession of genetic counseling... Read MoreFull Transcript: Dinesh Moorjani, Managing Director of Comcast Ventures, on Sequenced
May 24, 2018
Dinesh Moorjani, Managing Director of Comcast Ventures Dinesh Moorjani, Managing Director of Comcast Ventures, talks to us about investing in technology companies, building internet and software companies, and lessons learned along the way. Prior to Comcast Ventures, Dinesh... Read MoreMy journey, from breast cancer to Color – Color
May 21, 2018
For several years, I followed Color from afar. I’ve worked in the employee benefits industry for nearly twenty years, but I’d never been very aware of genetic testing. I thought of it as a futuristic concept, not something the average person could afford, or the... Read MoreWear Red 4 VEDS Day! – Color
May 18, 2018
Today is REDS 4 VEDS Day. Some of you are thinking “What is vEDS?” In that moment, you will have proved why this day of awareness is needed. vEDS stands for vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a rare, life-threatening hereditary vascular condition that affects 1 in... Read MoreHelping Axia Women’s Health empower their patients and families
May 15, 2018
Eileen Carpenter, CRNP and Office Manager at Mainline OB/GYN, shares her experience launching Color at an Axia Women’s Health Care Center. Also pictured are Dr. Stephen Krell, Executive Chairman & CEO of Axia’s Clinical Group and Patrick Miller, Manager of... Read MoreWhy Color? – Color
May 14, 2018
Okay, so if you’re reading this, it is highly likely that someone has reached out to you about a job at Color. Color truly is an amazing life and career changing experience. I’m not a rah-rah kind of person, nor am I salesperson. Please read my 6 points of evidence... Read More
Honoring Mother’s Day – Color
May 11, 2018
Losing my mom to breast cancer at age seven most certainly had a profound impact on my life, and I’m still discovering all the ways it has shaped the woman I am today. For one, it brought me to my dream job, Color. (More on that later.) If you’re reading this, chances are... Read MoreFrom the Human Genome to the Genome for Humanity – Color
May 6, 2018
Fifteen years ago, the Human Genome Project announced the completion of the first human genome. This was a moon landing scale endeavor that took billions of dollars in combined public and private investment — to sequence one single human genome. Since then, scientists... Read More
The case for population screening for BRCA, Lynch syndrome, and familial hypercholesterolemia
May 3, 2018
In 1994, Dr. Mary-Claire King discovered the BRCA1 gene. In the 24 years since that landmark discovery, the field of clinical genetics has grown by leaps and bounds. We now have a much clearer understanding of many inherited conditions, from the genes that are implicated in each... Read MoreCelebrating our great team on Lab Week, and every week
April 27, 2018
A cutting-edge clinical genetics lab is an incredible place to be. It relies on an stunning array of custom software, custom robotics, mind-blowing molecular biology, advanced bioinformatics and complicated supply chain logistics. It’s a busy and buzzing place, and a... Read MoreFull Transcript: Dr Ranjit Manchanda, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Barts Cancer Institute, interviewed by Erin Brodwin of Business Insider
April 25, 2018
Dr. Ranjit Manchandra (left) and Erin Brodwin (right) On this episode of Sequenced, Dr. Ranjit Manchanda, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Barts Cancer Institute in London, sits down with Business Insider’s Erin Brodwin to discuss population-based genetic testing for cancer... Read More
How Can a Genetic Counselor Help You? – Color
April 25, 2018
April 25, 2018 marks the 15th Annual DNA Day, which celebrates the successful completion of the Human Genome Project back in 2003. One year later, I graduated with my degree in Genetic Counseling and began working as a genetic counselor specializing in hereditary cancer risk. I... Read MoreThe New York Times highlights Color as a leader in employee genetic screening
April 16, 2018
Employees at NVIDIA’s Santa Clara, CA headquarters attended Color’s onsite educational seminar in 2017 to learn more about their new health benefit offered by Color. Yesterday The New York Times published an article, “Employees Jump at Genetic Testing. Is... Read More