Linda Avey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Avey
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Avey in 2008
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| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) |
| Alma mater | Augustana University (BA) |
| Known for | Co-founder of 23andMe Precise.ly, Inc. |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Personal genomics, Biotechnology, entrepreneurship |
Linda Avey is an American biologist and businesswoman. She is famous for helping to start a company called 23andMe. This company helps people learn about their own genetics by looking at their DNA.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Linda Avey was born in 1960 in South Dakota, which is a state in the United States. She went to Augustana University. In 1982, she earned a degree called a Bachelor of Arts in biology. This means she studied living things and how they work.
Starting a Career in Science
Linda Avey began her science career in 1982. She worked at the University of California, Irvine as a research assistant. In 1985, she started working in sales and business for companies that focused on biotechnology and medicine.
She gained over 20 years of experience in this field. She worked in big cities like San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, and Washington, D.C.. Linda Avey also worked for companies such as Perlegen Sciences and Affymetrix. Her job was to help these companies work with universities and other businesses on new research.
She also held positions at other companies. These included Spotfire, Chemdex, Applied Biosystems, PerSeptive Biosystems, Molecular Dynamics, and Waters Corporation.
Founding 23andMe
In March 2006, Linda Avey, along with Anne Wojcicki and Paul Cusenza, started a company called 23andMe. This company was one of the first to offer genetic tests directly to people. This meant you could get information about your genes without needing a doctor or researcher to order the test.
Linda Avey left 23andMe in 2009. Paul Cusenza had left the company earlier, in 2007.
Later Work and New Projects
After leaving 23andMe, Linda Avey continued to work on new and exciting projects.
Brainstorm Research Foundation
In 2009, Linda Avey started the Brainstorm Research Foundation. The goal of this foundation was to help organize research, especially focusing on Alzheimer's disease. She wanted to find new ways to collect information about people's health and how their bodies work.
We are Curious, Inc.
In 2011, Linda Avey co-founded a company called We are Curious, Inc. She started it with Heather Anne Halpert and Mitsu Hadeishi. This company focused on gathering different types of personal data online. This included information from smart devices, fitness trackers, apps, social media, and other health measurements.
Precisely, Inc.
In 2018, Linda Avey teamed up with Aneil Mallavarapu. They started a new company called Precisely, Inc. They worked with Naryana Health to collect and study genetic information. Their special focus was on people who might not usually have access to such tests because of economic reasons.
Advisor and Board Member
Linda Avey also serves as an advisor for Verily Life Sciences. She is on the Board of Fellows at Stanford Medical School. In November 2023, she joined the Board of Directors for the Human Immunome Project (HIP). This project aims to understand the human immune system better.
See also
In Spanish: Linda Avey para niños
