Andersen Lab
Andersen Lab is an open-science academic research lab at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, led by Kristian G. Andersen. It develops bioinformatics tools (iVar, Freyja, outbreak.info) and conducts pathogen genomics and outbreak surveillance for the global scientific and public health community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLa Jolla, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Andersen Lab does
Andersen Lab is an academic research laboratory based at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, founded circa 2013 and led by Professor Kristian G. Andersen. The lab operates as an open-science research unit conducting pathogen genomics, viral surveillance, bioinformatics, and outbreak response, with a team of approximately 30-40 active members spanning biologists, immunologists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and clinicians. Its research focuses on how viruses emerge, spread, evolve, and cause disease, including landmark work on the proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2, Lassa and Ebola virus genomics, West Nile virus, Zika, dengue, and wastewater-based surveillance.
Andersen Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Andersen Lab
- Legal name
- Andersen Lab
- Website
- https://andersen-lab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Andersen Lab is an open-science academic research lab at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, led by Kristian G. Andersen. It develops bioinformatics tools (iVar, Freyja, outbreak.info) and conducts pathogen genomics and outbreak surveillance for the global scientific and public health community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Andersen Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bioinformatics Software for Genomic Surveillance
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical Laboratories (621511), Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR) (HLAGADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wastewater & Environmental Pathogen Surveillance (HLAJABAI), Multiplex & High-Throughput Diagnostics Platforms (microarrays, digital PCR, lab automation-enabled assays) (HLAAALAL), Molecular Diagnostics & Genomics Laboratories (HLAFAMAE), Microbiology & Infectious Disease Diagnostics (culture, rapid antigen, syndromic panels) (HLAAALAC)
Keywords
Where Andersen Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Jolla
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Andersen Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Research Grants: Funded through competitive research grants from government agencies (NIH, CDC) and foundations for infectious disease research, genomic surveillance, and outbreak response
- Institutional Support: Operational support from Scripps Research as the host institution
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Andersen Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Andersen Lab is an academic research laboratory at Scripps Research that develops and disseminates open-source bioinformatics software tools (iVar, Freyja, Bygul, Björn) for viral genomics, amplicon-based sequencing analysis, and wastewater-based variant detection. The lab also operates the outbreak.info data platform for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogen surveillance, contributes to SEARCH alliance genomic surveillance tools, and publishes protocols and preprints under an open science model for the global public health and research community.
Product overview
Andersen Lab is an academic research laboratory at Scripps Research that operates as an open science initiative rather than a traditional product company. The lab's offerings center on open-source bioinformatics software tools (iVar, Freyja, Bygul, Björn) for viral genomics and amplicon sequencing analysis, the outbreak.info data platform for COVID-19 genomic surveillance and variant tracking, and protocols for pathogen sequencing. All software is shared open source under permissive licenses, papers are publicly available as preprints, and data are shared via public databases in real-time.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- iVar
Quantifiable outcome
- 110 published papers in top-tier journals including Nature, Cell, Science, and NEJM
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Andersen Lab
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Andersen Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Andersen Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)major$2.5M CDC contract awarded to Scripps Research and UCSD (with Andersen Lab participation) to track COVID-19 spread across San Diego through genomic surveillance.
- Scripps ResearchcoreAndersen Lab is based at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. Scripps Research provides institutional support, facilities, and administrative infrastructure for the lab's operations as an academic research unit.
- CViSB (Center for Viral Systems Biology)coreCollaborative research consortium focused on viral systems biology and outbreak response. Andersen Lab is a key participant in this initiative.
- SEARCH AlliancecoreMulti-institutional alliance conducting COVID-19 genomic surveillance and research. Andersen Lab members contribute to SEARCH activities.
- outbreak.infocoreStandardized, searchable platform for COVID-19 resources and data. Developed in collaboration with multiple research institutions including Andersen Lab contributors.
- VHFC (Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium)majorLong-standing collaboration focused on Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fevers, involving field work, sequencing, and outbreak response in West Africa.
- WestNile4KminorInitiative focused on West Nile virus genomics with 4,000+ genomes sequenced.
- PREVENTminorResearch consortium focused on pandemic preparedness and prevention strategies.
- WARN-IDminorWastewater analysis and research network for infectious disease surveillance.
- ModjadjiminorResearch initiative focused on specific infectious disease surveillance and analysis.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Andersen Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sabeti Lab (Broad Institute): Academic pathogen genomics and outbreak response lab at the Broad Institute, working on viral sequencing, Lassa/Ebola genomics, and genomic epidemiology in West Africa — direct scientific peer to Andersen Lab, with overlapping methodology and consortium memberships.
- Bedford Lab (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center): Viral genomics and bioinformatics lab at Fred Hutch producing tools like Nextstrain for real-time pathogen evolution tracking — directly comparable to Andersen Lab's outbreak.info and Freyja stack, with shared data-sharing ethos.
- Rambaut Lab (University of Edinburgh): Andrew Rambaut's group at Edinburgh, co-developer of BEAST and Nextstrain and a leading phylogenetic / pathogen evolution research team — closely comparable bioinformatics and evolutionary genomics focus to Andersen Lab.
- Holmes Lab (University of Sydney): Eddie Holmes' group at Sydney, prominent in viral evolution and pathogen genomics with significant COVID-19 origins publication record — directly comparable scientific agenda and open-data orientation.
- Worobey Lab (University of Arizona): Michael Worobey's lab at the University of Arizona focuses on viral evolutionary genomics, especially HIV and SARS-CoV-2 origins — directly comparable in research scope and the politically engaged origins-debate positioning.
Others
- GISAID: Global data-sharing initiative for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 genomic data; complementary ecosystem participant that Andersen Lab sequences into and uses as a primary distribution channel.
- Scripps Research (host institution): Parent non-profit research institution housing Andersen Lab and providing institutional, administrative, and grant-management infrastructure — key ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): U.S. federal public health agency and major funder/contractor for Andersen Lab's wastewater and outbreak surveillance work — overlapping mission and a buyer of Andersen Lab's surveillance output.
- BioFire Diagnostics (bioMérieux): Commercial syndromic infectious disease diagnostics platform (FilmArray) used in clinical and public health settings — a broader incumbent competing for pathogen detection and surveillance share via commercial products.
- Illumina: Dominant sequencing platform vendor whose NGS hardware underpins Andersen Lab's amplicon sequencing workflows — adjacent infrastructure provider and an indirect beneficiary of the lab's protocol-and-tool influence on the field.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Andersen Lab social profiles
Digital presenceAndersen Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Andersen Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Andersen Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Andersen Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Andersen Lab
What does Andersen Lab do?
Andersen Lab is an academic research laboratory at Scripps Research that develops and disseminates open-source bioinformatics software tools (iVar, Freyja, Bygul, Björn) for viral genomics, amplicon-based sequencing analysis, and wastewater-based variant detection. The lab also operates the outbreak.info data platform for SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogen surveillance, contributes to SEARCH alliance genomic surveillance tools, and publishes protocols and preprints under an open science model for the global public health and research community.
Is Andersen Lab a public or private company?
Andersen Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Andersen Lab founded?
Andersen Lab was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Andersen Lab based?
Andersen Lab is headquartered in La Jolla, United States, in the North America region.
How does Andersen Lab make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Research Grants are the primary driver. The others are institutional Support.
Who are Andersen Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sabeti Lab (Broad Institute), Bedford Lab (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center), Rambaut Lab (University of Edinburgh), Holmes Lab (University of Sydney) and Worobey Lab (University of Arizona). Others are GISAID and Scripps Research (host institution). Broad incumbents are CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), BioFire Diagnostics (bioMérieux) and Illumina.
Does Andersen Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Andersen Lab.
What industry is Andersen Lab in?
Andersen Lab's product category is Bioinformatics Software for Genomic Surveillance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGADAF, Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR), with a secondary code of HLAJABAI, Wastewater & Environmental Pathogen Surveillance. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.