Ronen Sadeh Senseera CEO
Senseera, an Israeli startup and a liquid biopsy company pioneering chromatin epigenomics, announced the successful close of a $7.1 million seed funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from I-Next Capital and the Lowy Medical Research Institute.
Chromatin epigenomics is a field of study that combines the principles of epigenetics and genomics to investigate how chemical modifications to chromatin (the complex of DNA and proteins that makes up chromosomes) affect gene expression and contribute to various biological processes and diseases.
DNA is packaged into chromatin within the cell nucleus. The basic unit of chromatin is the nucleosome, which consists of DNA wrapped around histone proteins. Chromatin exists in different states of compaction, ranging from loosely packed euchromatin (associated with active gene expression) to highly condensed heterochromatin (associated with gene silencing).
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
In summary, chromatin epigenomics is a dynamic and rapidly advancing field that provides insights into the complex interplay between chromatin structure, epigenetic modifications, and gene expression. By studying these mechanisms, researchers aim to better understand fundamental biological processes and develop new strategies for diagnosing and treating human diseases.
A liquid biopsy is a non-invasive test performed on a sample of blood (or other bodily fluids like urine) to look for cancer cells or pieces of DNA from tumors. It’s a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies, which require a surgical procedure to remove a tissue sample.
Founded in 2020, Senseera’s GEM (Genomic Expression Maps) BIOMARKERS , a novel biomarker discovery platform based on a patent protected chromatin epigenomics (cfChIP-seq) liquid biopsy technology (Sadeh, Nature Biotechnology, 2021).
Senseera’s platform, in addition to its unique liver disease diagnostics, has the potential to revolutionize drug development for cancer and immune disorders. By simultaneously analyzing solid tissue and immune cell states, it provides critical insights into tissue/tumor immune cross-talk, paving the way for more effective and personalized treatments.
GEM BIOMARKERS turns a simple blood draw into unparalleled, quantitative, cell-specific gene expression, and regulation data from cell-free DNA. Going beyond traditional methods like cfDNA genomics and methylation, it offers a transformative layer of data for various applications including biomarker discovery, tissue-agnostic MRD detection, response to therapy, disease subtyping and more.
“This funding marks a major milestone in Senseera’s journey to transform diagnostics for liver diseases and beyond, and to accelerate drug development,” said Dr. Ronen Sadeh, CEO of Senseera. “With the support from Lightspeed and our investors, we will advance clinical trials, strengthen collaborations with global pharma leaders, and expand our pipeline to improve patient outcomes.”
