From scientific discovery to precision diagnostics.
Baylor Genetics is built on one of the strongest scientific foundations in modern genomics.
Our roots trace back to 1978, when physician-scientists Thomas Caskey, M.D., and Arthur Beaudet, M.D. founded the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, establishing a foundational program focused on cytogenetics and biochemical genetics to detect inborn errors of metabolism.
This scientific legacy deepened in 1996, when BCM’s Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) was selected as one of six pilot sites for the final phases of the Human Genome Project (HGP)—a monumental research effort that laid the groundwork for modern genomics.
Building the Foundation of Genetic Testing
We led a decade of groundbreaking innovation marked by the launch of the first chromosomal microarray (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES). In 2014, BCM was selected as one of three NIH-funded DNA Sequencing Core sites for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network.
Over this period, we achieved a series of industry-first innovations that shaped the field of genomics:
2008
Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray Analysis (CMA)
2011
Whole Exome Sequencing (WES)
2012
Cancer Exome Testing
2013
Mitome Testing
2014
Global Metabolomic-Assisted Pathway Screen (MAPS)
2015
Prenatal Trio Testing
Innovation at the Intersection of Academia and Industry
In 2015, Baylor Genetics was founded through a joint venture between Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and HU Group Holdings, Inc., building a scalable infrastructure to deliver fast, high-quality results and specialized assays. This unique academic–commercial partnership allowed us to expand our test menu, strengthen our partnerships, and move precision diagnostics forward at record pace:
2016
First to Launch Non-invasive Prenatal Screening
2019
Launched Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)
2020
Partnered with the City of Houston to Launch COVID-19 Testing
2022
Launched Online Provider Ordering Portal
2023
Launched Panels for Neuromuscular & Neurodevelopmental Disorders Including Epilepsy
2023
First Lab in Texas Equipped with the NovaSeqX Sequencing System
2024
Launched RNA Sequencing for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) & Whole Exome Sequencing (WES)
2025
First Lab to Process WGS Results via Epic Aura
2025
Launched Pharmacogenomic & Germline Testing for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
