Life at Color — Meet Michael Doney, MD, MPH, MS (Head of Medical Affairs)

Michael Doney, MD, MPH, MS is Color’s Head of Medical Affairs and works to ensure “patients and providers are getting everything they can out of Color.” We sat down to hear about his work at the CDC in outbreak response and how his clinical experience as a physician brought him to an essential leadership role at Color.

What is your role at Color, and what does your team do?

I work within the Affairs team, collaborating closely with our Commercial and Scientific Affairs teams to enhance the clinical perspective within the broader Population Health programs at Color. My team and I are working with providers to improve their understanding of genetics and Color’s unique genetics and precision health programs offerings, to ensure our workflow solutions are well-integrated into their daily clinical practices. We want to know that patients and providers are getting everything they can out of Color.

In Medical Affairs, there is tremendous opportunity to work across the board with bright, motivated people in Commercial Operations, Clinical Development, Product, Legal & Regulatory Affairs, and of course, community health providers — all of which help to enhance clinical practice and improve patient outcomes.

Tell us about yourself and what got you into Medical Affairs.

I’m a board-certified emergency medicine physician by training and practice and I also have a background in molecular genetics and public health. My journey into Medical Affairs grew out my experience at the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), where I had transitioned from working in outbreak response and preparedness. Based on my experience at the CDC, I joined the Medical Affairs team at a pharmaceutical company, looking after a seasonal and pandemic influenza franchise and using my academic and government experience inside a commercial space. Since then, I have worked in both clinical practice and the biotechnology industry, most recently at a genetics-based, precision medicine start-up prior to joining Color.

Michael works with leaders across Color, bringing a valuable clinical perspective.

How did you hear about Color and what attracted you to working here?

I had been working closely with a number of Genetic Counselors, and every single one had positive, refreshing things to say about Color. I was so impressed by the work that Color was doing — in particular, the careful attention paid to population health principles and engagement with healthcare systems and providers.

I had discussed my growing interest in Color with a number of friends and colleagues, including those with decades-long experience in the genetics and diagnostic space. A trusted colleague said to me, “Color is doing it right. They deserve to be one of those that wins” — that sealed the deal for me.

What excites you about what Color is doing?

The population health platform is particularly exciting to me, given my background in public health and clinical practice. I appreciate Color’s focus and emphasis on the responsible integration of engagement and genetics into health systems and clinical practice. I believe working with and within health systems and large enterprises to leverage their expertise alongside our in-house talent is the key to truly realizing the potential of genetics in clinical practice.

As for the company itself, Color cares and it’s readily apparent in the attitude and perspectives of the people here in the office. It makes it very easy to want to come to work!