GenSol was founded in 2008 to address the growing need for canine genetic screening and the everyday application of increasingly complex biological assays using state-of-the-art technology.
Experienced in Genetic Research
GenSol was founded and is owned by Dr. Micah D. Halpern. Dr. Halpern has extensive experience in assay design, implementation and validation for a number of applications/fields. He possesses a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences and an M.S. in Industrial Chemistry with a focus in Forensic DNA Analysis from the University of Central Florida and a B.S. in Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology.
Prior to establishing GenSol, Dr. Halpern worked as a Senior Scientist at Midwest Research Institute (MRI) in both Palm Bay, Florida and Kansas City, Missouri. There, he managed a number of projects in areas ranging from forensic science to pathogen detection, including being principal investigator on a grant funded by the National Institute of Justice. Before working for MRI, he served as a laboratory researcher at the Brookfield Zoo Conservation Genetics Laboratory in Brookfield, IL studying the genetic diversity of wild and captive animal populations.
He has co-authored a variety of peer-reviewed journal articles, published four genome sequences and holds three pending patents. Dr. Halpern has also served as a reviewer for a number of scientific journals and participates as a peer reviewer for national grant funding agencies.
A Personal Passion
Dr. Halpern’s passion for canine genetic screening originated from a personal experience for him and his wife involving Dexter, their Australian Cattle Dog. Dexter tested ‘affected’ for a genetic eye disorder and after seeing the costs involved for testing, Dr. Halpern’s experience motivated him to offer low-cost genetic screening so that testing dogs prior to breeding can be affordable and thus, more available. This means a better chance that no dog has to undergo a less than bright future due to financial constraints. It also allows pet parents a readily available diagnostic tool to check for genetic disorders and provide awareness so that they can offer their dogs the best preventive care and supportive options for optimal health.
