GenoTyping Center of America, a genetic testing firm in Waterville, formed a partnership with Toronto-based data platform to expand the reach of both companies.
The partnership is with SoftMouse.NET, a cloud-based animal data platform.
“Researchers have long managed colony records and genotyping results in separate systems and workflows,” said Michael Greene, CEO and co-founder of the Waterville company. “This partnership brings those processes together in a way that improves efficiency, supports reproducibility and helps scientists focus more of their time on research rather than data management.”
Genetic testing
GenoTyping Center of America, founded in 2012, provides genetic testing and colony planning services to accelerate preclinical and drug discovery research. Genotyping is the process of extracting tissue in order to identify its DNA.
Through genotyping, testing and colony planning services, GTCA helps laboratories breed the animals with the genotype that’s needed for a particular study, protect the reproducibility of their results and reduce unnecessary animal use.
SoftMouse.NET, used by research laboratories worldwide, provides a centralized, mobile-friendly platform for managing animals, cages, matings, weaning schedules and protocol compliance, with automated alerts and audit trails.
The partnership addresses a longstanding challenge in biomedical research: colony records and genotyping results have traditionally lived in separate systems. Linking GTCA’s genetic data with SoftMouse.NET’s animal, breeding and study records could allow laboratories to maintain complete, auditable histories, strengthen compliance documentation and make better-informed breeding decisions with far less administrative work.
Lab space
GenoTyping Center of America was originally based in Ellsworth. Co-founders Greene, Todd Dehm and Kat Taylor moved the lab into 700 square feet at the Hathaway Creative Center in Waterville in 2018.
In 2023, the firm took additional space next to its lab and now has 1,870 square feet, also adding new laboratory equipment and hiring additional employees, bringing the workforce at that time to 12 full-time employees and one part-time.
But after the federal government cut funding for life science research, the company’s staff dropped to seven employees, two contractors and two interns from Thomas College.
Michael Greene. FILE PHOTO / FRED FIELD
“The freezing and slashing of federal research grants in early 2026, across agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, has required our customers to retract their research spending, which has had a direct, negative impact on GTCA,” Greene told Mainebiz. “Our revenues have dropped significantly year-over-year, forcing to reduce our workforce and cut costs wherever possible.”
The collaboration with SoftMouse.Net could provide advantages both to GTCA and its customers, he said.
“This reduces the time and potential error inherent in manually entering results,” said Greene.
He added, “This collaboration also helps broaden the reach and strengthen the value propositions of working with both companies.”
With enough growth, GTCA would look to expand its team, he said.
“Our current laboratory footprint is sufficient to absorb a substantial amount of growth before further expansion would be needed.”