Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

HealthPartners, Helix Team up for Population Genomics Program

NEW YORK — Integrated healthcare provider and health insurance firm HealthPartners said on Monday that it has partnered with Helix to launch a population genomics program for its patients.

Called MyGenetics, the program aims to enroll more than 100,000 people in Minnesota and the surrounding regions at no cost, who will have their genomes sequenced using Helix's end-to-end genomics platform, HealthPartners said. Patient data will be integrated into their health records and used to provide personalized care.

The program launches in May and will run for four years, Bloomington, Minnesota-based HealthPartners said.

Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We see population genomics as a critical step in our efforts to improve the health of the communities we serve across Minnesota and surrounding states," Steve Connelly, co-executive medical director at HealthPartners, said in a statement. "By understanding the role genetics plays in an individual's health, we can deliver more personalized care and improve the lives of our patients."

The agreement with HealthPartners adds to other population genomics partnerships Helix has launched. Last September, for example, the firm partnered with the Medical University of South Carolina, and it has similar programs in place with the Mayo Clinic and Renown Health.

The Scan

RNA Editing in Octopuses Seems to Help Acclimation to Shifts in Water Temperature

A paper in Cell reports that octopuses use RNA editing to help them adjust to different water temperatures.

Topical Compound to Block EGFR Inhibitors May Ease Skin Toxicities, Study Finds

A topical treatment described in Science Translational Medicine may limit skin toxicities seen with EGFR inhibitor therapy.

Dozen Genetic Loci Linked to Preeclampsia Risk in New GWAS

An analysis of genome-wide association study data in JAMA Cardiology finds genetic loci linked to preeclampsia that have ties to blood pressure.

Cancer Survival Linked to Mutational Burden in Pan-Cancer Analysis

A pan-cancer paper appearing in JCO Precision Oncology suggests tumor mutation patterns provide clues for predicting cancer survival that are independent of other prognostic factors.