On 6 April, 2022, Ronnie S. Stangler, M.D., was honored to return to the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program for Family Offices. She assisted in the presentation of “Genomics in the Family Office", a case study she co-authored with Harvard Business School Professor Lauren Cohen and Spencer Hagist. The case profiles a prominent Israeli family challenged by a rare genetic disorder and addresses its impact on family dynamics, health planning, and philanthropic strategy.

Typically, in medicine, when we reference the “last mile”, we are describing the process of transforming scientific research into clinical application. That is, moving from “bench” to “bedside”.

But this case takes the remarkable step of moving the science of genomics from “bench” to “boardroom”.

Because genetics absolutely belongs in today’s family office boardroom – not merely as an investment vehicle – although that, too - but to support human capital and the success of all family enterprise.

The extraordinary citizen scientist and activist, Alice Anane, head of the Dadush Family multifaceted global CJD (Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease) enterprise joined the group by Zoom. She shared updates in development of a global biobank and collaboration with SpacePharma to conduct critical experiments in the zero-gravity environment of outer space, work that has relevance for other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Ms. Anane epitomizes how courage and commitment to science can profoundly impact the world.

Explosively developing DNA sciences will dramatically change our lives, the way we interact with the world around us and even our most intimate and most precious relationships. With professional guidance, the Family Office can assume critical leadership to engage, educate, and effect actionable change today to positively alter the health, productivity, and longevity of its charges.