NEW YORK, June 4. Biotech firm Nucleus Genomics has launched the Nucleus Embryo service, the market’s first polygenic embryo screening tool that includes analysis of up to 900 diseases and predicted signs, including IQ, life expectancy, height and eye color.
The service is available for IVF patients at a cost of USD 5,999 per cycle. The analysis evaluates up to 20 embryos for the presence of chromosomal abnormalities and hereditary diseases, as well as non-medical signs ranging from external to cognitive.
According to the founder of Nucleus Genomics, Kian Sadeghi, “DNA plays the first role before the heart rate appears.”
CEO Kian Sadeghi put it bluntly: “Before there is a pulse, there is DNA and genetic markers”.
According to Morningstar/PR Newswire, Nucleus Embryo analyzes up to 20 embryos and provides reports on more than 900 diseases and 40 additional indicators, including cognitive abilities. The company has been collaborating with Genomic Prediction, which has been providing a massive screening platform since the 2010s.
Previously, people were interested in tools such as IQ test online to find out their intellectual level or test a child’s abilities, but now similar analysis methods are used even before birth. We are talking about polygenic screening, a prognosis based on a combination of multiple genetic factors that suggests the likelihood of certain characteristics, including cognitive abilities.
In addition to the traditional analysis for chromosomal abnormalities and dangerous hereditary diseases, expectant parents are provided with an expanded report. It can include parameters such as: the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease; risk of cancer, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases; potential height, eye color, predisposition to a long life; predicted IQ level based on polygenic indices.
It is important to understand that the company emphasizes that estimates are probabilistic, not final. This means that screening does not say “this embryo will definitely be smart,” but only indicates a statistically higher or lower genetic potential.
How It Works: Millions of Genomes, One Embryo Decision
The Nucleus Embryo platform runs on polygenic scoring — a cutting-edge method that crunches millions of genetic data points to estimate an embryo’s likelihood of developing specific traits. Using large-scale genome datasets, algorithms assess tiny DNA variations to assign probabilistic scores for both medical risks and non-medical characteristics.
Unlike traditional screenings, this service doesn’t just look for severe disorders. It projects statistical chances for traits like IQ, height, and even life expectancy — a first in commercial reproductive medicine.
According to Nucleus, each embryo is scanned for:
Medical risks
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Schizophrenia
- Breast and prostate cancer
- Cardiovascular conditions
Non-medical traits
- Predicted IQ
- Eye color
- Estimated adult height
- Genetic longevity potential
While the promise of smarter babies is what made headlines, Nucleus insists its primary goal remains health-focused: helping parents reduce future disease risks.
Still, the inclusion of intelligence estimates has thrown the startup into the center of an urgent global ethics debate.
Ethics and Criticism
The launch has drawn fierce criticism from bioethicists, who warn that selecting embryos based on intelligence marks a dangerous step toward “designer babies.”
“This isn’t medicine – it’s market-driven eugenics,” said Dr. Sarah Green of Harvard Medical School. “As soon as this becomes normalized, we’re no longer the same society.”
International lawmakers are also watching closely. In the UK and Germany, such selection would be illegal under current bioethics law. China, though aggressive in genetic research, officially bans embryo IQ prediction.
Legal Situation And International Context
Currently, in the United States, such services are not regulated at the federal level – companies can offer them privately. However, in most European countries, embryo screening is allowed only for medical reasons, and the use of data such as IQ or height is strictly prohibited.
In the UK and Germany, for example, any attempt to select the “best” embryo on non-medical grounds is considered a violation of the law. China, on the other hand, is actively investing in genetic research, but does not officially allow selection based on cognitive parameters. Thus, the United States becomes the first country where a legal product of this kind appears on the market.
What’s next?
Experts say this is just the beginning. As technology becomes more affordable, the line between healthcare and human enhancement is likely to blur. Without regulation, critics warn, the world could face a future where intelligence becomes a purchasable trait – and inequality begins before birth.
The future is no longer theoretical. With embryo IQ screening now a commercial reality, the global debate over how far reproductive technology should go is no longer hypothetical. For some, it’s a miracle. For others, a warning sign.
Leave a Reply