Erica Barnell

Erica Barnell

Co-Founder, Chief Medical and Science Officer, Geneoscopy

As the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Geneoscopy, I am passionate about transforming gastrointestinal health through cutting-edge RNA diagnostics. My mission is to develop non-invasive, accessible, and highly effective screening and monitoring tools to detect diseases like colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) early—when intervention can make the biggest impact.


Under my leadership, Geneoscopy’s ColoSense became the first FDA-approved RNA-based test for colorectal cancer screening in average-risk patients. We’ve raised over $200M in funding, built a 24,000 sq. ft. CAP/CLIA laboratory, and launched commercial efforts in partnership with Labcorp to make this life-saving technology widely available. As we continue expanding our diagnostic solutions, our goal is to usher in a new era of personalized medicine for gastrointestinal health.


Beyond my role at Geneoscopy, I am a physician-scientist with an MD and a PhD in Bioinformatics from Washington University School of Medicine. My research has led to 30+ peer-reviewed publications, four book chapters, and multiple patents in the precision medicine space. I was also honored to be named to Forbes 30 Under 30 for my contributions to healthcare innovation.

All Sessions by Erica Barnell

Breakthrough: Health Innovation Symposium 04/03/2025
9:30 am - 10:20 am

Track A - Scaling Science: The Next Stage for St. Louis' HealthTech & Biotech Innovators

Enterprise Room

As St. Louis continues to emerge as a national leader in HealthTech and Biotech innovation, a new wave of startups is moving beyond early-stage success and into high-growth expansion. This panel will feature founders and executives from the region’s fastest-growing health and life sciences companies who have recently secured growth capital investment (some Series B & C), positioning them for rapid scaling, commercialization, and broader market impact. Panelists will discuss the evolving investment landscape, the strategic milestones that attract later-stage capital, and how they are leveraging funding to expand operations, accelerate clinical development, navigate regulatory pathways, and enter new markets. With growing support from venture capital, corporate partnerships, and a maturing ecosystem, St. Louis’ HealthTech and Biotech scaleups are proving that breakthrough science can translate into high-growth businesses that drive economic and healthcare transformation.