A business is born

The cofounders of Five3 Genomics are (left to right) Charles Vaske, Steven Benz, and Zachary Sanborn. (Photo credit: Octopus Creative)

How does university research transform lives? If you want to watch the process in real time, start watching Five3 Genomics, a new company founded by three alumni of the UCSC Baskin School of Engineering.

This start-up is poised to provide a critical link between the university and the public, with the end goal of advancing the personalized treatment of cancer.

As grad students, cofounders Charles Vaske, Steven Benz, and Zachary Sanborn helped develop cancer genomics software. Five3 will push this new technology into the clinical realm, where it has the potential to help cancer researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and ultimately, cancer patients.

Every day, brilliant students at UCSC and every other UC campus are applying themselves to some of the most vexing challenges, from cancer to climate change. Investing in university research pays off many times over—just ask anyone who's had an MRI or used the nicotine patch, to name just two UC-patented breakthroughs.

I predict that UCSC's leaderships in genomics will produce more start-ups and spinoffs, and I can't wait. Congratulations, Five3!

Comments or questions? Write to chancellor@ucsc.edu and put “Five3” in the subject line.