For a company based in Springfield, Missouri, Dynamic DNA’s reach is vast due to its distribution partners in numerous countries across the globe. “We pride ourselves on being a CAP accredited genetic testing facility and molecular laboratory right here in Springfield, Missouri, which is sought out by customers and distributors not just here at home but all over the world. By handling everything in house and not outsourcing anything, we can provide low-cost genetic testing no matter where you live,” said Josh Wahba, Senior Vice President of Client Relations and Sales with Dynamic DNA. “We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in genetic testing and our #1 goal is to make advanced genetic testing accessible to everyone by keeping our price points the lowest in the industry.”
New strategies and partnerships
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it an enormous amount of change for individuals and businesses, but Dynamic DNA felt those changes acutely due to the particular nature of its business and the niche in which it sits. The pandemic brought about new partnerships to the ever-growing DNA testing lab located in Springfield.
Dynamic DNA was one of the first labs in the state of Missouri to offer COVID testing, contracting with the Missouri Health Department to do so starting in March of 2020. Dynamic DNA then partnered with Missouri State University Athletic Department to test athletes weekly to comply with NCAA testing requirements. At the peak of the pandemic, Dynamic DNA was processing 1,500 samples every day.
Dynamic DNA also gained new clients during this fraught time, including Citizens Memorial Healthcare and Willow Health Care, and their respective networks of nursing homes. The company also worked closely with Webster County Health Department and numerous area jails. “This was a huge change in strategy for us,” said Wahba. “We had to evolve our strategy due to the unforeseen circumstances that the pandemic brought with it.”
New testing and tech
In July, Dynamic DNA will begin offering Polygenic Risk Score testing, which provides a measure of disease risk due to genes. The test allows people to understand what their risk of developing a certain disease is. The test provides concise, clear and actionable information on disease risk. “This is a very cutting-edge new genetic test,” said Wahba. “We will be the first and only lab offering this test in Missouri and one of very few in the country.” This test can indicate genetic risks for the following conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, coronary artery disease, celiac disease, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, prostate cancer, and type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Dynamic DNA is now offering easier access to its clients via an online dashboard and has also incorporated a new Laboratory Information Managing System (LIMS). The new LIMS makes it more efficient for partners to place orders and receive results, while also making it more efficient for Dynamic DNA’s lab teams’ workflow and processes. All this improves turnaround time on testing. The company also went from being able to access 32 data points (or genetic markers) to over 700,000 by adding iScan technology. “This is high-precision, high-throughput array scanning for DNA analysis,” said Wahba.
Keeping up with the research and the times
Staying up to date with the latest peer-reviewed scientific research and updating reports for all its different DNA testing panels is key at Dynamic DNA.
Dynamic DNA’s proactive health Nutrition DNA test was one of the first of its kind on the market and its Cannabis DNA test is the latest panel created and is offered to consumers and distributors alike, coming just on the heels of legalization of recreational marijuana in Missouri. “There’s no other test like it on the market,” says Wahba.
“We stay on top of peer reviewed scientific studies and research because that enables us to continue to encourage people to make better choices for their bodies based off of their genetic makeup,” said Wahba. “It’s important to stay on the cutting edge of new research in order to enable those choices.”
