A University of Minnesota microbiome analysis startup has been acquired by a leading diagnostic device manufacturer.
CoreBiome Inc., which uses University-developed technology to analyze communities of microbes for human health, agricultural, and environmental applications, was purchased earlier this month by Pennsylvania-based OraSure Technologies Inc., a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of devices that detect or diagnose critical medical conditions.
CoreBiome is based on discoveries by University researchers Dan Knights, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and engineering in the College of Science and Engineering and the BioTechnology Institute in the College of Biological Sciences; Kenneth Beckman, Ph.D., director of the University of Minnesota Genomics Center (UMGC); and Daryl Gohl, Ph.D., research and development lead of UMGC.
Their technology allows for an unprecedented level of control, reproducibility, and accuracy in providing detailed information about microbial communities (or microbiomes). The company combines these fast, accurate genomic profiles with machine learning to help its customers develop breakthrough products.
“There is a growing need for fast, reproducible, and scalable microbiome analysis in many research fields,” said Knights, who is also CoreBiome’s CEO, in a news release. “Our goal has been to accelerate discovery of microbiome-based solutions combining genomics and machine learning innovation to help customers leverage that big data and to make world-class microbiome expertise available on-demand.”
CoreBiome was launched in May 2017 with help from the Venture Center, part of U of M Technology Commercialization. It is the fourth University startup to be acquired or go public in the last 18 months.
See the news release for more on the acquisition.