SAN DIEGO– Sampling Human, an early stage, life science technology company that has developed a diagnostic platform that harnesses genetically engineered cells to analyze other cells in their environment, has raised $2 million led by the venture capital firm i&i Biotech Fund (i&i Bio). Longevitytech.fund and Formic Ventures also participated in the recent financing. Through synthetic biology, Sampling Human is modifying yeasts into “Living Information Technology” capable of detecting and classifying select living cells (e.g., cancer cells) in a sample of millions of other cells. The practical potential of this technology could transform diagnostic processes with liquid biopsy that is orders of magnitude faster, less expensive and more precise. The investment will further advance R&D, hiring, and business development.
Sampling Human’s core technology lies in their proprietary platform and kit format, that is able to detect and classify an extremely small number of selected cells in a sample of millions of other cells through the identification of their complex molecular features. This detection efficiency is achieved through biological processing, a major improvement from standard diagnostic processes which utilize large instruments, such as flow cytometry, that can only sort cells individually and only one sample can be analyzed at a time.
“We formed Sampling Human to transform health measurement to be more precise and replicable. Single cells exhibit an incredibly rich set of attributes that can predict a patient’s health trajectory, but they are often impossible to decipher. Our platform democratizes single cell analysis to improve access for research institutions and clinicians,” said Daniel Georgiev, co-founder and CEO of Sampling Human. “By harnessing cells to analyze other cells, we make it possible to measure rare driver and repair events that have the potential to significantly change an individual’s health in negative or positive ways.”
“We met the Sampling Human team and got to understand their technology at i&i Prague at the end of 2019,” says JaromĂr Zahrádka, CEO of i&i Biotech Fund. “`Sampling Human is great example of a promising startup with young, dynamic and capable leadership, an exacting business plan and, above all, cutting-edge technology that could revolutionize its industry.”
