Sano Genetics is a UK-based company that accelerates precision medicine research by connecting patients with studies that match their genetic and health profiles. It integrates genetic testing, electronic health records, and long-term participant engagement into one streamlined process. Patrick Short co-founded the company in 2018 alongside Charlotte Guzzo and William Jones. With a Ph.D. in Mathematical Genomics and Medicine from Cambridge University, Patrick understood the challenges of traditional clinical research and wanted to make participation more accessible and meaningful.
“We built Sano Genetics to make it easy for participants to contribute and for researchers to access high-quality, actionable data,” he explains.
Addressing Gaps in Clinical Research
The idea for Sano Genetics emerged from Patrick Short’s experience in genomic research. He saw that genetic and health data were often siloed and static, slowing progress in understanding rare diseases and limiting the impact of clinical studies. “Many research teams struggled to find the right participants at the right time,” he says. “We wanted to remove those barriers and make the process more dynamic and responsive.”
Sano Genetics’ platform allows participants to provide genetic and health information digitally, which researchers can use to identify candidates for follow-up studies. The system supports rapid recruitment, reduces costs, and allows for longitudinal engagement, generating richer and more meaningful datasets.
Making Participation Seamless
The company focuses on making clinical research participation convenient and inclusive. Digital consent processes, at-home sample collection, and remote monitoring allow patients to engage without disrupting their daily lives. “We aim to make participating in medical research as straightforward as ordering a book online,” Short says.
This approach is especially important for rare conditions, where patients are often spread across regions and recruitment can be difficult. By simplifying participation, Sano Genetics ensures that smaller patient populations are represented in studies and that findings are broadly relevant. Researchers gain access to diverse datasets, and participants benefit from contributing to meaningful science.
Overcoming Barriers
Trust and engagement remain critical challenges in genomic research. Participants often have concerns about privacy and data usage. Patrick Short stresses that transparency is central to the platform. “We protect participant data and communicate clearly how it is used. People need to feel confident that their contribution is secure and meaningful,” he says.
Sano Genetics also navigates complex regulatory landscapes, ensuring that studies comply with ethical and legal standards. By combining rigorous compliance with a user-friendly interface, the platform meets the needs of both researchers and participants. This dual focus has helped the company build credibility in a field where data sensitivity is paramount.
Scaling for Impact
Sano Genetics has grown steadily, establishing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and patient organizations. Each collaboration strengthens the platform’s ability to run large-scale studies while maintaining a human-centered experience. “Our focus is not just growth for its own sake,” Short explains. “We want to show that studies can be efficient, cost-effective, and patient-friendly.”
International expansion is part of Sano Genetics’ vision to make precision medicine more widely accessible. By integrating genetic data with electronic health records and patient-reported outcomes, the platform supports ambitious research projects that would have been difficult using traditional recruitment methods.
Shaping the Future of Personalised Medicine
Patrick Short envisions a healthcare ecosystem where genomic information is routinely integrated into patient care. Genetic testing could become a standard tool, guiding preventive strategies and tailored treatments. “We are approaching a tipping point where it will make sense to sequence everyone’s DNA,” he says. “The insights from this data can dramatically improve outcomes for both rare and common diseases.”
Sano Genetics contributes to this future through programs that make participation straightforward and rewarding. Initiatives such as offering free genetic testing for families affected by rare conditions demonstrate the practical benefits of genomic insights in managing health. The company is positioning itself to ensure that precision medicine becomes part of everyday healthcare rather than a niche field.
Patrick Short’s leadership reflects scientific expertise, entrepreneurial vision, and a commitment to patients. By streamlining research processes, safeguarding participant data, and fostering engagement, Sano Genetics addresses the persistent bottlenecks in clinical research. The company sets a new standard for conducting genetic studies efficiently and ethically, helping translate genomic advances into real-world benefits.
As the field of precision medicine evolves, Sano Genetics shows how thoughtful integration of technology, patient experience, and rigorous science can accelerate discoveries and make healthcare more personal and effective. For Patrick Short, success is measured by improved patient outcomes and a research ecosystem where every participant’s contribution has tangible impact.
Patrick Short, Co-Founder & CEO, Sano Genetics
