Orchid Welcomes Distinguished Clinical and Genetics Leaders to its Advisory Boards

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Orchid, a reproductive technology company offering the world’s only commercially available whole genome embryo screening, today announced Dr. Amber Cooper, Dr. Roohi Jeelani, and Jerry Lanchbury, Ph.D as new members joining their Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. The boards support Orchid’s mission to provide parents with more genetic information than ever before, enabling them to mitigate their child’s risk for genetic forms of neurodevelopmental disorders, pediatric cancers, and birth defects that were previously impossible to detect in embryos.

“As a clinician dedicated to providing the highest standard of care, I am thrilled about Orchid’s whole genome embryo screening being available to patients,” said Dr. Roohi Jeelani, a double board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist (REI). “This technology empowers prospective parents by providing comprehensive insights into their embryos’ genetics, allowing for informed decisions that can contribute to a healthier start for their future child. I believe this will become a standard part in many families’ IVF journeys.”

“Orchid is empowering parents like never before. Their whole genome embryo reports screen for hundreds of conditions, and shifts us from just reacting to medical issues to proactively addressing potential concerns right from the start,” said Dr. Amber Cooper. “I am thrilled to advise this team as they help future generations of healthier babies be born.”

“It’s exciting that parents have the opportunity to make choices about whether they do or don’t pass mutations onto their children through embryo screening. They are able to target a healthy life for their child,” said Jerry Lanchbury, previous Chief Scientific advisor of Myriad Genetics.

“We could not be more honored to have the support and guidance of these integral figures in reproductive medicine and genetics,” said Noor Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Orchid. “We look forward to bringing Orchid to more parents, and providing them with critical genomic information to give their future children a healthy start to life.”

They will join Lusine Aghajanova, MD, Ph.D, Barry Behr, Ph.D, Jacques Cohen, Ph.D, Jonathan Kort, MD, and Jan Liphardt, Ph.D as part of Orchid’s existing advisory board.

Orchid’s whole genome embryo report offers the most data for individuals going through IVF interested in mitigating the maximum amount of genetic risk. Orchid whole genome embryo reports are available nationwide at IVF centers of excellence in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Princeton, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.

New advisor profiles
Amber R. Cooper, MD, serves as the Chief Medical Officer-Genomics and Laboratory Sciences and Medical and IVF Practice Director, St. Louis. Dr. Cooper is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and completed her residency and fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. During her years of practice, Dr. Cooper has been named one of the Best Doctors in America nine times since 2013, and has authored articles for several medical journals and textbooks.

Dr. Roohi Jeelani, MD, FACOG, is a double board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist (REI), practicing in Chicago and Detroit.. A graduate of Ross University School of Medicine, she completed both her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Wayne State University – Detroit Medical Center. During her medical training, Dr. Jeelani received numerous awards in the areas of fetal medicine and reproductive medicine. In addition, she has authored a variety of publications and book chapters in well known journals highlighting cutting-edge REI advancement and has presented at national/international conferences and symposiums focused on advancements in women’s health.

Jerry Lanchbury, Ph.D, served as the Chief Scientific Officer at Myriad Genetics, leading teams responsible for major molecular diagnostic innovations. Dr. Lanchbury is a highly respected expert in immunogenetics with more than 100 reviewed research journal publications. Dr. Lanchbury earned his doctorate in Human Population Genetics from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and subsequently held a number of tenured faculty positions at the University of London.

About Orchid
Orchid is a reproductive technology company on a mission to extend the healthspan of the next generation. Orchid offers prospective parents a clear and comprehensive understanding of their potential child’s genetic health.

In 2023, Orchid launched the world’s first commercially available 30x whole genome sequencing reports for embryos created through IVF. Reading over 99% of an embryo’s genome —significantly surpassing the industry standard of 0.25%. Orchid’s reports obtain over 100 times the data, enabling the detection of conditions previously undetectable in embryos and providing superior results for traditional screens.

SOURCE ORCHID