Michael Snyder

Michael Snyder is a genomicist and professor who serves as the Stanford W. Ascherman Professor of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine and director of the Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine. Snyder earned a doctorate at the California Institute of Technology and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University before spending more than two decades on the faculty at Yale University prior to joining Stanford. His career focuses on understanding the molecular basis of human health through genomics and personalized medicine.

A prominent figure in functional genomics and multiomics, Snyder has been a major participant in the ENCODE project. His laboratory was the first to conduct a large-scale functional genomics project in any organism and has developed numerous technologies in genomics and proteomics. Key findings from the Snyder laboratory include the discovery that a larger portion of the human genome is transcribed and contains regulatory information than previously recognized, as well as the observation of high diversity in transcription factor binding both between and within species. Snyder has contributed to the advancement of precision medicine by inventing technologies such as systems biology approaches, RNA sequencing, and protein chip technologies.

Snyder's work leverages big data generated through high-throughput technologies, including genomics, proteomics, and wearable devices, to monitor disease onset and progression in real time. He has integrated various omics technologies to create the first longitudinal, detailed integrative personal omics profile (iPOP) of an individual, using this approach to assess disease risk and monitor disease states for personalized medicine. Snyder is recognized for a study in which he was both subject and researcher, contributing to the understanding of personalized medicine and the development of precision health. He has advocated for the use of wearable devices in advancing highly personalized, precision medicine and has led research initiatives focused on measuring age-related decline.

Snyder has published more than 900 papers and is among the most cited scientists in genomics and personalized medicine. He is the first researcher to collect petabytes of data on individuals, generating data volumes far exceeding those typically gathered in clinical practice. Snyder has co-founded 17 biotechnology companies and serves on the boards of organizations dedicated to advancing healthcare through genomics and personalized health strategies. These include SensOmics, a wearable device startup; Mirvie, which analyzes RNA during pregnancy to identify potential complications; and Personalis, which interprets genomic data to guide patient care. Snyder is also the author of "Genomics and Personalized Medicine: What Everyone Needs to Know," published as part of the Oxford University Press What Everyone Needs to Know series.

Snyder has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and is a recipient of the Genetics Society of America George W. Beadle Award for technology development in protein, gene, and RNA analysis, as well as the Precision Medicine World Conference Pioneer Award for his contributions to precision health. Snyder is known for translating complex genomic science into practical insights for researchers, clinicians, and the public, contributing to ongoing advancements in medicine, technology, and human health.