Thank you, Alabama.

Together, we changed the future of Alabama genetic health.

Thanks to your support, Catalyst has helped thousands of Alabamians gain access to free clinical genetic testing and important health information.

While enrollment has closed, our commitment to current participants continues.

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Enrollment Has Closed

As of September 30, 2026, Catalyst is no longer

accepting new participant enrollments.

If you enrolled on or before September 30,

your participation will continue as planned.

Current Participant?

If you enrolled before September 30, 2026, we’re here for you.

I already enrolled.

If you enrolled before September 30, you’re still part of Catalyst.

I still have my sample kit.

Return your sample within 90 days of ordering your kit to ensure you will receive results.

I’m waiting for my results.

Results will continue to be processed and delivered. Results typically take between 6-8 weeks after you send your sample in.

I need help.

The Catalyst Team is here to help you.

Together, We Made an Impact

If you enrolled before September 30, 2026, we’re here for you.

9,300+

Participants

Enrolled

67

Alabama Counties

Reached

5,600+

Clinical Genetic

Results Returned

400+

Community Events

Attended

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more information? Browse some commonly asked questions below.

Catalyst is a public health program led by Southern Research that provided free clinical genetic testing to eligible Alabama residents. Through a simple cheek swab, participants received information about selected hereditary health risks, how their genes may affect their response to certain medications (pharmacogenomics), and, when eligible, polygenic risk scores for certain common health conditions. The goal of Catalyst is to help individuals better understand their health while supporting research that advances precision medicine for all Alabamians.

Catalyst was made possible through grant funding provided by the State of Alabama and the City of Birmingham. As our current grant period has come to a close, enrollment is now closed..

Catalyst was made possible through grant funding provided by the State of Alabama and the City of Birmingham. As our current grant period has come to a close, enrollment is now closed.

No. Although enrollment has closed, Catalyst continues to support participants who enrolled before September 30th, 2026.

Current participants will continue to receive the services included in the program, including:

  • Processing of eligible genetic testing samples
  • Access to genetic test results through the Catalyst participant portal
  • Genetic counseling after receiving your results
  • Participant support from the Catalyst team throughout the remainder of the program

No. If you enrolled before September 30, 2026, your participation is not affected.

You will continue to receive the services available through the program, including access to your genetic testing results through the participant portal. You may also be notified through the portal about future opportunities that become available.

If you enrolled before September 30, 2026, you will have 90 days from the date you ordered your genetic test to return your sample.

As long as your sample is received within that 90-day collection window, it will continue through the normal testing process. Samples received after the collection window may not be eligible for processing.

Catalyst participants who sent in a sample receive the following results:

  • Single-gene risk results – Findings across 84 clinically actionable genes. These results identify genetic changes that can directly inform your care and support decision-making in a clinical setting.
  • Medication response results – Insights into how your body processes and responds to more than 70 commonly prescribed medications, helping guide safer and more effective treatment choices.
  • Polygenic risk scores – Estimates your health risk scores for common conditions including:

You can log in to your Catalyst participant portal at any time to track the status of your sample using the tracker on your home screen.

Yes. If you enrolled before September 30, 2026, and your sample is received within the 90-day collection window, you will still receive your genetic test results.

Most participants receive their results 6–8 weeks after the laboratory receives their sample, although some results may take up to 10 weeks. You will be notified when your results are ready.

Current participant results are available through your Catalyst participant portal.

As long as you enrolled before September 30, 2026, you will continue to have access to your results through your portal.

If you have questions about your genetic test results, you may schedule a genetic counseling appointment after viewing your results.

You are also welcome to share your results with your healthcare provider and discuss what they may mean for your health. Whether you choose to share your results with your provider is entirely your decision.

Yes. Every participant has access to a free 30-minute genetic counseling session with a licensed genetic counselor after their results are released.

After viewing your results, you can schedule your appointment at no cost.

Yes. Your genetic testing results belong to you, and you are welcome to share them with your healthcare provider if you choose.

Yes. Current participants will continue to have access to the Catalyst participant portal to view their information and genetic testing results.

If you cannot log in, select the “Forgot Password” option on the login page to reset your password.

If you continue to experience issues accessing your account, please contact catalyst@southernresearch.org.

Yes. If you’re interested in connecting your electronic health record (EHR), you can still do so through your Catalyst participant portal.

Connecting your EHR allows us to better understand long-term health outcomes and may help support future research efforts. If you’d like to connect your records, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.

Please email the Catalyst team at catalyst@southernresearch.org, and someone will be happy to assist you.

Yes. Protecting your privacy remains a top priority. Your personal and genetic information continues to be stored securely in accordance with applicable privacy and security standards.

The information you agreed to contribute through Catalyst may continue to be used for research as described in the informed consent you signed when enrolling. Research data are de-identified before being used for research purposes whenever appropriate, helping protect your privacy while supporting future scientific discoveries.

Yes. You may withdraw from Catalyst at any time through your participant portal. If you have questions about the withdrawal process, please contact the Catalyst Team.

If additional funding becomes available, enrollment may reopen in the future.

Current participants may receive notifications about future opportunities through the participant portal. Anyone interested in future updates can also follow Catalyst on social media for announcements.

If you have additional questions, please contact the Catalyst Team at catalyst@southernresearch.org. We’re happy to help.

Contact Catalyst Team

Thank You

Catalyst would not have been possible without the support of so many.

Our Participants

Community Partners

Healthcare Providers

Our Partner Organizations

The State of Alabama

The City of Birmingham

Your trust, partnership, and belief in this mission made a lasting impact on the health of Alabamians. We are deeply grateful.

Still Have Questions?

We can assist with your participant portal, sample status, genetic test results, and more.

Contact Catalyst Team