We had the good fortune of connecting with Molly He and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Molly, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
We started Element Biosciences to make a difference in the world by creating new innovations to equip scientists with the tools they need to discover breakthroughs and tackle global challenges. Acknowledging DNA’s pivotal role as the blueprint of life, Element introduced the AVITI sequencer with the aim of democratizing genetic sequencing. This technology removes obstacles so that labs of any size can access cost-effective, precise, and faster sequencing processes, empowering researchers to find solutions to improve health and sustain our planet. This technology can also benefit genomics research in emerging countries to help address health burdens. AVITI is now in more than 25 countries around the world, demonstrating the advantages of democratizing sequencing globally.

Locally, Element organizes regular events to invite students to our company to learn about sequencing and educate the next generation of young people in STEM. Element employees also play an active role in the community by volunteering their time to help local organizations such as Lifeline Community Services.

Image description

Image description

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I co-founded Element to revolutionize science by expanding access to innovative technology. Frustrated by the slow progress in sequencing after my time at Illumina, I wanted to level the playing field for labs of all sizes.

Starting Element also had a lot to do with my culture and mentality of rooting for the underdogs. After observing discrepancies between well-funded and under-funded labs and how much they can do for their science and research, we wanted to democratize access to foundational blocks of research and innovation so labs of all sizes can make their impact.

To achieve this success and drive it forward, we have built a dynamic company of more than 300 people from diverse scientific and business backgrounds working closely together and remaining nimble, entrepreneurial and dedicated to biological advancement.

Element started out frugally – we decided to work in an old facility and raise a small amount of capital first to complete the proof of concept. It took sheer grit and a strong track record of delivering results to convince investors to trust in our vision of reinventing the DNA sequencing platform.

Seven years later, we’re an established company with more than $400 million in funding, pushing the boundaries of scientific research not only for DNA but also enabling RNA, protein and cellular analyses.

It has not been easy taking on the dominant player in our industry, but we have listened to customers and continuously innovated our product to better serve their needs.

What sets Element apart is our technology and our values. We reinvented every element of sequencing technology to create a new system that combines the best quality with affordability.

And we have succeeded as a high-integrity team that lives its values and approaches all its work, scientific and business, with a first-principles approach that continuously challenges the status quo to make truly impactful leaps forward.

The Element brand stands for a group of gritty problem-solvers, grounded in data to improve the scientific community’s understanding of systems biology and find solutions to humankind’s biggest biological issues.

Image description

Image description

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
San Diego is one of the most vibrant, friendly and beautiful parts of SoCal. A great itinerary for exploring the culture and nature of San Diego area would include:

• A trip to Balboa Park, to tour museums, visit the Zoo, see beautiful architecture and learn about region’s history.

• A visit to Old Town San Diego, considered the birthplace of California, to explore and sample some of the best Mexican food around.

• A hike to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, still one of the wildest places on the Southern California coast, to experience the beauty of nature.

• A visit to La Jolla Village with a stop in Warwick’s, one of the country’s oldest family-owned bookstores.

• Dinner in Del Mar, preferably on an outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean.

• A morning stroll through Carlsbad Village for breakfast, followed by a long beach walk at Tamarack Beach.

Image description

Image description

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a shoutout to our customers for believing in us, for their willingness to take a risk on a new platform, and for trusting and supporting our mission. Underdogs need some support, especially in the beginning. It’s our customers who made our mission possible… and who keep us going.

The hard-working employees at Element also deserve recognition for their incredible dedication. From R&D and manufacturing to the support teams who serve customers, our people allow us to continue innovating at an unprecedented pace and deliver the highest quality products.

In the face of many recent challenges in the biotech industry, Element has remained strong and enjoys healthy growth. This is a testament to our customers and employees and our shared commitment to working together to make a positive impact.

Website: https://www.elementbiosciences.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elembio/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElemBio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elementbiosciences/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1cnqPvB6guNuI4ymTVC24g

Image description

Image description

Image Credits
Element Biosciences

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.