Embark Welcomes New Scientific Advisory Board in Lead-Up to 2022 Canine Health Summit

Renowned scientific and medical experts selected to support and advise Embark as it seeks to improve the life and longevity of dogs

BOSTON, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Embark Veterinary, Inc., the global leader in dog genetics, today announced its new Scientific Advisory Board in the lead-up to its second annual Canine Health Summit. The new members of the board include some of the most renowned members of the scientific community. They include three former biotech chief executives, two MacArthur Genius Prize winners, and offer a variety of expertise across veterinary pathology, genomics, epigenetics, and molecular diagnostic medicine.

The individuals who have elected to join the board represent the scientific community's high level of interest in Embark's work toward extending the lives of dogs by three years within the decade. It also illustrates the faith among human genetics experts in the power of canine genetic health discoveries potentially fueling human health discoveries in the future.

"At Embark, we pride ourselves on offering the most scientifically advanced dog DNA test. That stems from being a company founded by two scientists, and also from access to the brightest, most innovative minds in human and canine genomics," said Embark Chief Science Officer Adam Boyko. "Advisement from experts who have made their own groundbreaking discoveries will help inspire and guide our team as we seek to fulfill our mission of improving the life and longevity of all dogs through science and technology."

This new group of Scientific Advisory Board members includes:

• David Botstein, PhD: Expert on the genetics of aging; Chief Science Officer at Calico Life Sciences
• Carlos Bustamante, PhD: Population and computational geneticist; founder and CEO of Galatea Bio, Inc.
• Jerry Lanchbury, PhD: Human geneticist and specialist in molecular diagnostic medicine; Chief Science Officer at Myriad Genetics
• John Novembre, PhD: Population genomics expert; professor in the University of Chicago Department of Human Genetics
• Roberta Relford, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM, DACVP: Veterinary professional with 30 years of experience across private practice, university teaching, research, and commercial diagnostics; former Chief Medical Officer at IDEXX Laboratories
• Jasper Rine, PhD: One of the founding scientists on the Dog Genome Project and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and Distinguished Professor of Genetics, Genomics, and Development at UC Berkeley

"Embark is doing some of the most exciting work in canine genetics today, and it's clear what an important impact it will have on veterinary medicine in the coming years," said Dr. Relford. "I'm thrilled to offer my expertise in veterinary pathology and diagnostics to Embark's leadership, scientists, and engineers."

Embark welcomes its new Scientific Advisory Board members just as the second annual Canine Health Summit gets underway. Scheduled for April 27-28, panels are dedicated to a wide variety of topics, including canine cancer, breeding practices, problem behaviors, intervertebral disc extrusion, and even the human-canine bond. The event is taking place virtually, free of charge, and is open to anyone interested in learning more about the future of pet care.

"The Canine Health Summit is one of the few opportunities for veterinarians, breeders, researchers, scientists, and dog owners to come together and learn from one another about how to extend and improve the lives of all dogs," said Dr. Jacquelyn Evans, assistant professor at Cornell's Baker Institute for Animal Health and Canine Health Summit keynote presenter. "Together, we have the power to take on challenges as difficult as canine cancer, which affects almost half of dogs over the age of 10."

Veterinarians, breeders, dog owners, scientists, and others interested in learning more about canine health can view the 2022 Canine Health Summit agenda and register to attend at Labroots.

About Embark
Embark Veterinary, Inc. was launched in 2015 by two brothers, Adam and Ryan Boyko, who have a passion for scientific research and a lifelong love for dogs. Starting with their best-in-class canine DNA test, Embark is building a powerful platform for scientific discovery that will accelerate advancements in personalized dog care. Embark offers the most scientifically advanced, most trusted, and highest-rated dog DNA tests on the market that help dog owners, breeders, and veterinarians learn about their dog's breed, health, and ancestry. Customers gain hundreds of actionable insights that inform more proactive care, and every test fuels new research to help all dogs lead longer, healthier lives. Embark is an official research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, was named to the Inc. 5000 list for the past two years, and was included on Forbes' Next Billion-Dollar startups list.

For more information, visit Embark's website at EmbarkVet.com, and follow Embark on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SOURCE Embark Veterinary, Inc.