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Ivan Liachko helped turn a University of Washington research technique into Phase Genomics, a biotech company launched in 2015 to solve complex DNA-assembly problems. A 2023 GeekWire profile followed that path—from academic discovery and an unexpected request from berry seller Driscoll’s to a startup culture its COO described as one where “curious scientists thrive.” Liachko was a finalist for GeekWire’s 2023 Startup CEO of the Year award; finalist status alone does not establish that he won.
Who is Ivan Liachko?
Liachko was born in Kyiv and moved to the United States at age 11. Before becoming a biotech founder, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington, where research into Hi-C proximity ligation helped reveal applications beyond the lab. GeekWire’s 2023 profile also notes his family connections to Ukraine.
His transition from scientist to CEO was not a solo effort. The company’s co-founders included longtime friend Shawn Sullivan, a former Microsoft engineer; UW advisors Maitreya Dunham and Jay Shendure; and graduate student Josh Burton. The mix brought together scientific expertise, technical experience, and a relationship that predated the company.
How did Phase Genomics get started?
The founding idea grew from work with Hi-C, a method that records which pieces of DNA are close together inside a cell. Liachko and colleagues at UW explored new uses for the technique. An inquiry from Driscoll’s, the berry seller, about DNA data helped show that the work could answer practical questions for organizations outside an academic lab.
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Liachko and his co-founders launched Phase Genomics in 2015. In the profile, he described its purpose as tackling problems that other methods could not solve: “We built Phase around this central core of solving problems that can’t be solved by other means.” By 2023, GeekWire reported that the company had supported hundreds of sequencing projects.
What does Hi-C sequencing do?
Hi-C captures physical proximity between DNA fragments. In simplified terms, DNA pieces near one another in a cell are joined before sequencing. Researchers can then use the resulting contact patterns, together with computational analysis, to help assemble DNA sequences and position them along chromosomes.
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This physical-linkage information can help with genome assembly, where the goal is to reconstruct a longer, more organized sequence from smaller pieces. It is a specialized research tool, not a consumer DNA test. Its usefulness depends on the sample, the research question, and the sequencing and analysis workflow.
What does Phase Genomics do now?
Phase Genomics currently describes its work as covering plant, animal, microbial, and human samples. Its official product and service pages list these categories:
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- EARLY DNA TESTING: While every person has their own DNA in their bloodstream, a pregnant person’s bloodstream also contains DNA from their unborn child. The SneakPeek test looks for Y chromosomes in a small sample of blood. If Y chromosomes are found that means baby is predicted to be a boy. If none are found, baby is predicted to be a girl.
- Proximo Hi-C kits: kits intended for genome scaffolding—organizing assembled DNA fragments into larger structures, including chromosome-scale arrangements.
- ProxiMeta: kits and a computational platform for genome-resolved metagenomics, which analyzes genetic material from microbial communities.
- Custom work: sequencing and analysis projects tailored to research needs.
These are the company’s descriptions of its offerings, not independent assessments of their performance. The right approach for a project depends on factors such as sample type, sequencing inputs, whether physical linkage data is needed, and whether the goal is chromosome-scale assembly, haplotype phasing, or identifying microbial hosts in a metagenome.
For protocol-sensitive work, Phase Genomics lists version 5.0 as its current protocol, last updated in August 2026. Researchers should use the protocol that matches their kit version and confirm compatibility with the company before starting a project.
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Why did the profile describe a culture where curious scientists thrive?
That phrase came from COO Kayla Young, who said, “He does a good job of building a company where curious scientists thrive.” GeekWire illustrated the idea with reported anecdotes: employees brought biological samples from gardens and trips, and the company emphasized passionate specialists and helping staff leave better than they arrived.
Liachko also described the intended environment as one built around “high quality people doing high quality work in a supportive environment.” Those statements and anecdotes convey how leaders and staff characterized the workplace in the profile; they are not a quantified or independently measured assessment of employee experience.
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Ken Myer, an unpaid Phase advisor and leadership coach associated with UW CoMotion, offered a related observation about the fit between research and entrepreneurship: “Some researchers make really good entrepreneurs, because they have an experimentation mentality. They don’t take it personally.” The profile’s account suggests that willingness to test ideas and learn from results was part of the company’s approach.
What did GeekWire report about the company in 2023?
The figures below are historical snapshots reported by GeekWire in 2023, not current company metrics.
| Measure | What the profile reported | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 26 | Company size reported at the time of the 2023 profile. |
| Non-dilutive funding | $24 million | Reported as accrued to date from revenue and grants in 2023. |
| Projects | Hundreds of sequencing projects | Qualitative scale reported by GeekWire in 2023, not a current project count. |
| Founded | 2015 | Year Phase Genomics launched, according to the profile. |
The profile also discussed possible therapeutic targets and therapeutic viruses as company ambitions at the time. It does not establish that these directions became validated therapies or led to clinical outcomes.
What the profile does—and does not—establish about the award
GeekWire published the story on April 20, 2023, as one of five profiles of finalists for Startup CEO of the Year at the 2023 GeekWire Awards. That confirms Liachko’s finalist status, not the award result.
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