Avera Genetics has been forward-looking since opening its doors in 2006. This strong history of excellence has brought us to lead the way with a large twin registry bank — the first and only in South Dakota — and precision medicine breakthroughs.
As a human molecular genetics laboratory, we have the capability to undertake a wide range of clinical and research projects using advanced technology including:
- Behavioral and cancer genetic studies
- Biobanking
- Personalized medicine
- Tumor registries
- Twin research
By advancing science through numerous partnerships and collaborations — both nationally and internationally — Avera Genetics is already improving the care provided to Avera patients and communities while continuing to advance science and medicine.
Avera Twin Register
Avera Genetics is home to the first and only twin register in South Dakota. Twin research is the most powerful way to learn how much of a certain trait is related to genetics and how much is related to environment. Learn more and join the Avera Twin Register.
Since 2009, we have also partnered with the world’s leading twin register, the Netherlands Twin Register at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). With the launch of our twin register in 2016, we collect and analyze DNA from twins throughout the Midwest and the Netherlands to provide insight about traits and diseases specific to each region.
GeneFolio
Your genes can tell us a lot about what medicines work best for you — and what fitness and nutrition plan is the most ideal for you. We offer two options to patients throughout our region:
- Personalized Medication Test: Our innovative approach means we can test an individual’s unique DNA to analyze how they respond to medications through the GeneFolio Pharmacogenomics test. Current projects use this data to assist with managing pain, cardiovascular disease and behavioral health conditions (including depression and anxiety).
- Fitness & Nutrition Test: We can analyze genes to help you design fitness goals and make nutritional changes to improve your well-being. The GeneFolio Vitality test is available for direct order and can be used in doctor consultations with Avera providers.
Advanced Technology for Genetic Research
With the latest in technology, experts at Avera Genetics have the capability to undertake a wide range of projects from small-scale pilot next generation sequencing projects to large-scale high throughput genome-wide association studies on tens of thousands of samples.
Our scientific lab enables researchers to describe a patient's genetic profile using innovative genetics technology, such as the:
- Illumina iScan Beadchip Array platform
- Illumina Next Generation Sequencers
- QuantStudio and Viia7 Real-Time PCR Systems from Thermo Fisher Scientific
