Madhuri on newborn screening
From EP 185: Newborn screening to lifelong data in evolving genomics landscape | Madhuri Hegde of Revvity · · Sano Genetics
“Today whole newborn screening is a public health program and it is not just the test — there is a whole system around it: quality components, nurses for sample collection, and follow‑up. We are not thinking enough about what newborn sequencing would mean in a public‑health setting, and beyond sequencing costs the data storage for whole genomes is not cheap.”
On , Madhuri, Senior VP & Chief Scientific Officer at Revvity, spoke about newborn screening during EP 185: Newborn screening to lifelong data in evolving genomics landscape | Madhuri Hegde of Revvity on Sano Genetics.
About Madhuri
Madhuri Hegde, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Revvity, appeared on The Genetics Podcast in May 2025 to discuss the company's work in ultra-rapid clinical-grade sequencing and newborn screening. She emphasized that newborn screening is a public health program involving a system of quality components, sample collection, and follow-up, and argued that the field is not adequately considering what newborn sequencing would entail in a public-health setting. Hegde also expressed concern about fixation on the "$100 genome," stating that the complete cost of sequencing includes sample preparation, interpretation, and data storage, not just the sequencing itself. Regarding data storage, Hegde stated that it is often cheaper to store dried blood spot cards and DNA than to archive and reanalyze large genome files, as sequencing technology is evolving rapidly. She suggested that resequencing later may be more practical than long-term data storage. Hegde also noted that Revvity has rebranded as a healthcare company and is advancing projects including newborn screening tests and clinical ultra-rapid sequencing.