Last updated : June 08, 2026 7:16 am
We are building the bridge between complex molecular data and everyday clinical decisions
As precision medicine gains momentum in India, Strand Life Sciences is expanding beyond enterprise bioinformatics into diagnostics and preventive genomics, while advancing its goal of bringing genomic insights into routine healthcare.
Rahul Koul, Editor, Indian Pharma Post in an exclusive interview with Dr. Ramesh Hariharan, Chief Executive Officer, Strand Life Sciences discusses the company's evolution as a genomics pioneer, its growing focus on precision medicine, AI-driven diagnostics, consumer genomics, research and innovation priorities, and its long-term vision for integrating genomics into mainstream healthcare. Excerpts from the interview:
Strand has been at the forefront of genomics for over two decades. How do you see the company’s role evolving in the next phase of precision medicine?
Over the next phase of precision medicine, our role will increasingly center on bringing novel diagnostics to the market by integrating multi-omics (genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics) with AI-driven interpretation. We will serve as a bridge between complex molecular data and everyday clinical decision-making, enabling earlier interventions and more personalized therapies at scale.
How has being part of the Reliance ecosystem accelerated Strand’s innovation and scale ambitions?
Being part of the Reliance Industries Limited ecosystem has provided us with patient capital and moral support to think big, while building responsibly. By learning how to balance these parameters, we hope to build a company that is transformational.
CancerSpot has positioned Strand at the forefront of blood-based multi-cancer early detection. What early market and clinical feedback have you received since the launch?
Early feedback from clinicians has been very encouraging, with most expressing interest to be part of the evidence-building journey. Market feedback has been one of curiosity; the average consumer is curious to protect themselves but doesn’t know whom to trust amidst all the market noise. Building that trust with further evidence, publication, workflow completion and knowledge dissemination is our charter for the next few years.
Your 33,000 sq. ft. Genomics Diagnostics & Research Centre in Bengaluru is a major infrastructure investment. How is this facility accelerating innovation in diagnostics, AI, and translational research?
Our Bengaluru facility is not just a laboratory, it’s an integrated innovation hub. By co-locating high-throughput sequencing, proteomics platforms, and advanced computational teams, we’ve created an environment where data generation and interpretation happen seamlessly. This accelerates turnaround times, enables rapid prototyping of new assays, and supports translational research collaborations. Importantly, it strengthens our AI capabilities by providing access to large, high-quality datasets, which are essential for building clinically relevant algorithms.
Strand’s recent push into genetic wellness and NutriDNA-style preventive genomics signals a move beyond diagnostics. How big do you see the consumer genomics opportunity in India over the next five years?
We believe that consumers will in due course embrace the benefits of genomic testing. Initially, consumers are curious and want to tread cautiously with lifestyle-based testing like NutriDNA before trusting more serious tests like early cancer detection. More familiarity, increasing knowledge and a tailwind of global evidence-generating studies will change that in due course.
Rare disease diagnosis remains delayed for many patients. How can platforms like StrandOmics change the clinician workflow and patient journey?
Rare disease diagnosis is often a long and fragmented journey. Platforms like StrandOmics are designed to compress that timeline by integrating genomic data with curated knowledge bases and AI-driven prioritization. For clinicians, this means faster identification of likely pathogenic variants and better decision support. For patients, it means cutting short diagnostic odysseys and earlier access to appropriate care. Ultimately, our goal is to make genomic analysis an integral, seamless part of clinical workflows rather than a specialized, time-consuming process.
How do you see the revenue mix evolving among clinical diagnostics, enterprise bioinformatics, consumer genomics etc over the next 3–5 years? What is your current revenue growth trajectory and expectations for the next fiscal year?
Historically, our strength has been in enterprise bioinformatics, but we are seeing rapid growth in clinical diagnostics and emerging traction in consumer genomics. Over the next 3–5 years, we expect a more balanced revenue mix, with diagnostics becoming a significant contributor, consumer genomics gaining momentum, and enterprise bioinformatics growing steadily.
As a computer scientist who built one of India’s earliest genomics companies, what leadership lessons have stayed with you through this journey?
There are many lessons, but foreseeing the world of tomorrow today, feverishly anticipating and addressing risk, keeping all constituencies aligned and engaged, keeping pace with technological progress, and simultaneously enabling a creative ecosystem where innovation can be supported and nurtured; that execution skill is the biggest lesson learned.
What is your long-term vision for integrating genomics into mainstream preventive and clinical healthcare in India?
Solving a health problem will need insights from multiple quarters: genomics, imaging, biochemistry etc. It is diligent work to combine these tools in the right way and bring them to the consumer at the right price and reliability levels. Our long term vision is that genomics and Strand will become a household term as a BP monitor or thermometer is today.