EP 131: The potential of somatic genomics in drug discovery and development with Jake Rubens
April 18, 2024
In this episode, we welcome Jake Rubens, a seasoned genomic science entrepreneur and co-founder of Quotient Therapeutics. Tune in to hear Jake discuss the potential of somatic genomics (genes that are present in any cell in the body except for germline cells) in therapeutic development. As the founder of several companies, including Tessera and Sana Therapeutics, Jake offers his unique perspective on the advantages of utilising insights from somatic genome sequencing to understand disease mechanisms and discover new drug targets. He also shares valuable lessons from his robust entrepreneurial journey!
0:00 Intro
0:40 Jake’s experiences as a serial entrepreneur starting five companies with a basis in genomic science
5:30 Opportunities for research and drug development in the realm of somatic science
9:20 Somatic evolution and how it provides valuable insights into disease mechanisms
12:30 Advantages and disadvantages of studying germline genome-wide association studies (GWAS) versus somatic genomes for target and drug discovery
17:00 How germline and somatic mutations can complement one another when studying conditions like MASH, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, and more
21:10 The method behind obtaining and analysing tissue samples
24:00 The importance of high resolution for somatic variation
29:30 “The genetics superhero”: How somatic variations can rescue maladaptive germline mutations
32:00 How to obtain tissue samples of hard-to-reach areas of the body, like the brain
33:00 How somatic genome can increase the scale of DNA data available
36:00 Best practices for scientific entrepreneurship
44:50 Jake’s predictions for the next big breakthroughs in genetics and precision medicine
48:20 Closing remarks
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