Emily Drabant Conley: We are at the infancy of a genomic revolution
Socrates / Podcasts
Posted on: May 18, 2015 / Last Modified: October 25, 2018
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It has been almost 5 years since I originally published my 23andMe DNA Test review where I concluded that it was right for me. I also asked you to seriously consider if it may or may not be right for you too. And so, if you still have not considered the risks, the benefits and the costs of doing a DNA test, then today’s episode is for you. I was very fortunate to get an interview with Emily Drabant Conley – research scientist and director of business development at 23andMe. And Dr. Conley was very forthcoming and generous in replying to and addressing a variety of issues related to genetic testing in general and 23andMe in particular. So check out the interview and consider how it may relate to or be useful for you.
During our 45 min conversation with Emily Drabant Conley we cover a variety of interesting topics such as: her background in neuroscience and professional responsibilities at 23andMe (aff); her dream of personalized medicine; the types of information costs and benefits that 23andMe provides; the FDA “seize and desist letter”; how we get “accurate” and “actionable” DNA data; the choice to know or not to know your genes; privacy, hacking and who owns your genetic data; the benefits of full genome testing as well as a huge database system; accessing your raw data and 23andMe’s open API; reading, interpreting and eventually writing DNA…
As always you can listen to or download the audio file above or scroll down and watch the video interview in full. To show your support you can write a review on iTunes, make a direct donation or become a patron on Patreon.
Who is Emily Drabant Conley?
Emily Drabant Conley, Ph.D. joined 23andMe in 2010 and currently serves as research scientist and director of business development. She is responsible for building strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, forging research collaborations, and overseeing project execution across a range of therapeutic areas.
Prior to 23andMe, Dr. Conley spent 10 years conducting research that combined genetics and neuroimaging to understand neuropsychiatric disease. She was a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health and is co-author on more than 15 academic publications.
Dr. Conley currently serves on the Advisory Board of the UCSF Alliance Health Project, which provides services to the LGBT and HIV-affected communities in San Francisco.
She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University School of Medicine, where she held fellowships from the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense. She graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Psychology and Business.
Dr. Conley has been featured on the cover of the Pharmaceutical Executive and interviewed by Bloomberg, NPR, FOX, ABC, and Fast Company, among others.
