We thought you might like to hear about some of the humanitarian work our company has been involved in, applying our expertise in epigenetics to lesser known, but equally important, health challenges. One of those projects, currently underway in the Dominican Republic, is understanding the genetic and epigenetic causes, and ultimately aid in the diagnosis and treatment of PKAN (pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration), a rare neurodegenerative disease.

While the prevalence of PKAN is quite low in the United States, in some parts of the Dominican Republic, such as Cabral, the disease affects 1 in every 1,000 children! The study, led by Dr Susan Baser at Allegheny Health Network and CEDIMAT Hospital in Santo Domingo, is critical to understanding and treating this devastating disease, and we are honored to be a part of it. Watch this short video about the work there.

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