Smiling parents holding their newborn baby wrapped in a star-patterned blanket indoors.

About Us

jscreen was established on a simple but deeply held belief: that everyone deserves access to testing that can protect themselves and their families from devastating genetic diseases.

Where We Started

jscreen’s journey began in 2010 with a two-year pilot program in Atlanta, funded by The Marcus Foundation. The Atlanta Jewish Gene Screen was built around one radical idea: that knowledge is the most powerful form of prevention.
Karen Grinzaid, a genetic counselor and Assistant Professor at Emory University, recognized that too many individuals were starting families without knowing they carried mutations for life-altering conditions. It was clear that outreach, education and accessible testing were needed to prevent tragedies in at-risk families.
Following the pilot, The Marcus Foundation called for a national solution. In September 2013, jscreen officially launched out of Emory University’s Department of Human Genetics, pioneering an innovative at-home screening model that raised awareness about genetic risks and encouraged people to be proactive about genetic testing and family planning. 
People told Karen and her team that it couldn't be done. That at-home testing could not be trusted. That the model was too ahead of its time.
Karen and the team forged ahead anyway.
The jscreen team developed the logistical and technological infrastructure to provide access to the highest quality genetic screening available. This work was rigorous and groundbreaking, resulting in the publication of over 15 peer-reviewed articles and establishing jscreen as one of the most trusted resources in the field of genetic screening.

A Decade of Growth

Over the next ten years, jscreen grew rapidly as a national non-profit organization, driven by a mission too urgent to stay small: to make genetic screening accessible, affordable, and empowering for families across the country.

Advanced Technology

We transitioned to state-of-the-art sequencing to ensure the highest possible carrier detection rates.
icon of a laptop

Expanded Insight

We consistently grew our reproductive panels, staying at the leading edge of science and medicine, in order to offer one of the most comprehensive tests available. Today, our reproductive panel includes over 260 genetic diseases.

Cancer Prevention

In 2019, an Atlanta pilot study revealed a need for access to hereditary cancer testing, even for those without a family history. This led to the 2021 national launch of our hereditary cancer program.

New Leadership

In 2023, under the leadership of CEO Dr. Matt Goldstein, jscreen officially spun out from Emory University to become an independent national nonprofit.

Who We Are Today

We offer two core programs designed to provide clear, actionable information:

Reproductive Carrier Screening: Tests for 260+ diseases (including Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis, and Gaucher disease) for those planning a family.

Hereditary Cancer Testing: Identifies mutations in 60+ genes linked to breast, ovarian, colorectal and other cancers.

Every kit is sent to your door. Every test is done in the comfort of your home. Every result is delivered with the support of a certified genetic counselor.

What we are about

Simple

Easy to understand. Frictionless process.

Trusted

Medical, clinical quality

Security

Your data, protected. Security matters.

Affordable

Transparent pricing

Clear

No confusing jargon

Service

Expert, caring
support always

Matt’s Story

Our CEO, Dr. Matt Goldstein, came to jscreen on a personal mission. A physician-scientist with an MD/PhD from Stanford and clinical training at Harvard, Matt spent his career at the frontier of biotech and genetic medicine, building companies and advancing novel, personalized therapies to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Matt and his wife, Myra Sack, lost their eldest daughter, Havi, to Tay-Sachs disease in 2021 after a mistake in ordering Matt’s carrier screening test. Havi’s life was full of love, but it did not have to end the way it did. Since her passing, they have channeled that loss into purpose. Myra authored Fifty-Seven Fridays, a memoir of Havi’s life, while Matt took the helm at jscreen to ensure no other family has to endure a preventable tragedy.
To Matt, this work is a vocation — a calling — to ensure that the most powerful tools we have in medicine are available to everyone, everywhere in the highest quality way. No family should have to endure disease and death that can be prevented with a simple test.

Who’s At Risk?

Certain genetic diseases are more common within communities that were historically isolated – whether geographically, culturally, or religiously. When one or more ancestors in such a group carried a mutation in a disease-related gene, that mutation had the opportunity to spread and take root over generations. These types of genetic mutations are known as "founder mutations.” Founder mutations1 exist in communities all over the world. A few notable examples are highlighted below.

While certain communities face higher risks, genetic disease does not discriminate based on ancestry. Everyone, regardless of ancestry, faces genetic disease risks. That’s why comprehensive genetic screening matters for anyone planning to start or grow their family, and for anyone concerned about their risk for hereditary cancers.

The Jewish Community

The Jewish community is at higher risk for a number of genetic diseases. One in 30 Ashkenazi Jews are carriers for Tay-Sachs disease,2 and many other diseases are prevalent in this population.3 Sephardic and Mizrachi Jews are at risk for diseases common in their communities. Ashkenazi Jews are also at risk for mutations in the BRCA genes, increasing their risk for breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers.

Mediterranean Communities

Founder mutations for a disease called thalassemia are more common in Mediterranean, Asian, African and Middle Eastern communities. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce abnormal or not enough hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This causes anemia, fatigue, and other complications such as bone changes and heart problems.4  Reproductive carrier screening can identify whether you carry a genetic mutation, empowering you to make informed decisions for you and your family.

Northern and Eastern Europeans

Research on Northern and Eastern European populations has found distinct genetic mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, and Russia.1,5 In Poland, just 3 genetic mutations are responsible for over 90% of all BRCA1 mutations.5 In some countries, BRCA mutations date back almost 1,000 years.5 If you have known ancestry from these countries, it can be helpful to know your genetic cancer risk, especially if you also have a family history of cancer.

African-American and Hispanic Communities

One of the more significant inherited disorders is sickle cell anemia. While red blood cells are typically round and flexible, in sickle cell anemia they are shaped like a crescent moon. This causes red blood cells to get stuck in the blood vessel and stop carrying oxygen properly, causing pain and other health problems. In the US, over 90% of people who have sickle cell anemia are African-American.6 Approximately 1 in 13 African-Americans is a carrier for sickle cell anemia,6 making reproductive carrier screening very important. 

Hispanic and Latino communities also face risks. Approximately 1 in 20 Hispanic people is a carrier for sickle cell anemia, and an estimated 3-9% of people born with sickle cell disease are Hispanic or Latino.6,7 Some African and Hispanic communities also have founder mutations that increase the rate of BRCA mutations, increasing the risk of hereditary breast, ovarian, prostate, and other cancers.8,9

Our Commitment

We believe you deserve to know your genetic risks before you or your family is impacted. We believe a simple saliva test and a conversation can change the trajectory of a family forever.
Know your genes. Protect your family. Start at jscreen.org.

References

  1. Janavičius R. Founder BRCA1/2 mutations in Europe: implications for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer prevention and control. EPMA J. 2010;1(3):397-412. doi:10.1007/s13167-010-0037-y
  2. Rozenberg R, Pereira LdaV. The frequency of Tay-Sachs disease causing mutations in the Brazilian Jewish population justifies a carrier screening program. São Paulo Med J. 2001;119(4):146-149. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11164463/
  3. Levy R. What’s the connection between BRCA and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry? Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. June 26, 2023. Accessed February 17, 2026. https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2023/06/whats-the-connection-between-brca-and-ashkenazi-jewish-ancestry/
  4. Mayo Clinic Staff. Thalassemia – symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thalassemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354995. Published May 6, 2025. Accessed March 12, 2026.
  5. Heramb C, Wangensteen T, Grindedal EM, Ariansen SL, Lothe S, Heimdal KR, Mæhle L. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation spectrum – an update on mutation distribution in a large cancer genetics clinic in Norway. Hered Cancer Clin Pract. 2018;16(1). doi:10.1186/s13053-017-0085-6
  6. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sickle cell disease. Updated December 10, 2025. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sickle-cell-disease
  7. Ojodu J, Hulihan MM, Pope SN, Grant AM. Incidence of sickle cell trait — United States, 2010. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014;63(49):1155-1158.
  8. Weitzel JN, Lagos VI, Herzog JS, et al. Evidence for common ancestral origin of a recurring BRCA1 genomic rearrangement identified in high-risk Hispanic families. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16(8):1615-1620. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0174
  9. Mefford HC, Baumbach L, Panguluri RC, et al. Evidence for a BRCA1 founder mutation in families of West African ancestry. Am J Hum Genet. 1999;65(2):575-578. doi:10.1086/302511