By ROBBIE PANGILINAN

US technology policy expert Alex Ross said that the last trillion-dollar industry was built on computer code and the next trillion-dollar industry will be built on genetic code. And Canadian Biotechnology entrepreneur Jeffrey Seitz, founder of PHIX Genomics and co-founder of geXc (the Genomic Exchange Community)  is bringing this industry to the Philippines.

“Genomics is the field of science that studies an organism’s entire genome or DNA sequence. Genomics analyzes the relationship between genetics and traits, and uses the data to answer scientific questions and solve practical problems,” explains Seitz, currently Vice President of D-MARK Biosciences, Canada’s premier provider of advanced solutions for genomics and molecular biology that has experienced 500% growth since it started in 2008. “By 2018, the genomic market is predicted to reach $19 billion,” says Seitz, who earned an M.Sc. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Saskatchewan.

PHIX Genomics is a pioneer in the Philippines, the first commercial company that will establish a clinical lab. PHIX is a human clinical genomic diagnostic company and technology licensing company focused on improving health and healthcare outcomes in the Philippines. Genomics will, no doubt, bring health and prosperity to the Filipino people. It’s also an amazing robust business opportunity “There are approximately115,000 doctors in the Philippines, if ony 1% prescribe an average of only 5 tests/month, this amounts to a multi million dollar industry,” projects Seitz.

“There is no other Genomic Diagnostic company in the Philippines yet. There are some competitors, but their focus isn’t on Genomic Diagnostics. We will soon expand to Southeast Asia, but we will start in the Philippines,” adds Seitz, who has over 20 years of global genomics industry experience.