Elizabeth Ruzzo, PhD

Elizabeth Ruzzo, PhD, is the founder and CEO of adyn, a Seattle-based startup focused on personalized medicine and birth control optimization.12 She received her PhD in human genetics and genomics from Duke University, where she learned to analyze big data using next-generation sequencing.1 Ruzzo has discovered linkages between over 36 genes and specific human diseases, and during her postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA, she used machine learning to uncover 16 new autism genes.12

Ruzzo founded adyn after experiencing severe side effects from birth control, including depression and suicidal ideation.3 This personal experience, combined with her scientific background, inspired her to create a company that aims to make scientific discovery more inclusive and close gaps in medical research.23 adyn's first product is a test that analyzes genetic and hormone data to identify potential side effects caused by different methods of birth control.2

Some key achievements and characteristics of Elizabeth Ruzzo include:

1. Awards: Charles J. Epstein Trainee Awardee for Excellence in Human Genetics Research, Jo Rae Wright Fellowship for Outstanding Women in Science, and Rock Health's 2021 Top 50 in Digital Health.1

2. Publications: Over 20 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as AJHG, Cell, Neuron, and Nature.1

3. Mission: To make scientific discovery more inclusive and close gaps caused by historic inequity in medical research.23

4. Education: Bachelor's degree in cell and molecular biology from the University of Washington, PhD in genetics and genomics from Duke University, and postdoctoral research at UCLA.3

5. Entrepreneurship: Ruzzo raised $2.5 million in funding for adyn in April 2021 and participated in Y Combinator.23

Elizabeth Ruzzo is driven by her passion for using precision medicine to improve healthcare outcomes, particularly for women and underrepresented groups in medical research.34