Genetics Testing Startup Nucleus Genomics Under Fire for Embryo Product: ‘Makes Me So Nauseous’

Nucleus Genomics, a genetics testing startup founded by Kian Sadeghi, is facing heavy criticism following the announcement of its new product, Nucleus Embryo. The company, which initially launched in 2021 with the goal of calculating a patient’s risk for specific diseases, has been courting controversy for years with products that claim to correlate genetics to complex issues, including IQ.

The controversy reached a new peak when Nucleus Genomics announced Nucleus Embryo with a tweet stating, “Every parent wants to give their children more than they had. For the first time in human history, Nucleus adds a new tool to that commitment.” The product claims to test IVF embryos for appearance traits like sex, height, hair color, and eye color, as well as complex health attributes like anxiety, ADHD, and even IQ.

The launch video showcased a comparison menu designed to help parents select which embryos to use and which to discard. This concept has sparked significant backlash.

While genetic testing of embryos is not entirely new—IVF physicians can test for genes that cause conditions like Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis—Nucleus Genomics is using controversial “polygenic scores” to determine “complex genetic outcomes, like intelligence and anxiety.”

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), polygenic scores only calculate the probabilities of a certain complex illness occurring, mainly within populations. The NHGRI emphasizes that these scores indicate relative risk and are not equivalent to discovering a specific gene with a high absolute risk, such as the BRCA1 gene for breast cancer.

Experts caution against the routine use of polygenic risk scores for individuals due to the absence of practice guidelines and ongoing research to improve their accuracy.

Nucleus Genomics defends its method, citing a 2018 paper that claimed to have developed validated methods for common diseases such as coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and breast cancer. The paper advocated for screenings to help individuals make lifestyle or therapeutic decisions, aligning with Nucleus’s initial concept.

However, the recent tweet promising parents the ability to create designer babies has garnered over 4 million views and numerous critical comments. One VC commented, “I was going to type something like Noah get the boat but honestly the reality of this just makes me so nauseous.”

Nucleus Genomics has faced controversy before. Earlier this year, TechCrunch reported on the startup’s $14 million Series A funding round. The company is backed by prominent investors, including Founders Fund and Alexis Ohanian’s 776.

Last year, the company launched Nucleus IQ, a product intended to assess the genetic influence on intelligence. Critics have labeled it as “bad science and big business.” Sadeghi defended his company’s methodology in response to the criticism.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Nucleus is partnering with Genomic Prediction, which works with IVF clinics, to conduct these tests. While many parents request intelligence tests, Genomic Prediction does not provide them, but parents can voluntarily upload genetic data to Nucleus to pursue it.

Sadeghi stated in the launch video, “Not that long ago, IVF-1 sparked fear and the stigma of test tube babies… What was once controversial is now an everyday practice. The same is true with genetic optimization. The technology is now here and it’s here to stay.”