Advanced Biomarkers, La Jolla

Advanced biomarkers, for the patient who already owns the data.

The most complete biomarker panel available, paired with a physician who actually reads the data with you. No PDFs. No dashboards. Just answers, action, and the markers that matter.

Comprehensive biomarker testing for our data-driven patients. Reviewed and interpreted by board-certified physicians across internal medicine, neurology, and women’s health.

The Thesis

Standard labs were built in the 1970s. Direct-to-consumer testing leaves you with a PDF.

The data is the easy part. The interpretation is everything.

Standard annual labs were designed to catch the diseases your insurance company most wants to prevent. They were not built to optimize performance, measure how you are aging, or identify the markers that matter for high-functioning adults.

Direct-to-consumer testing has filled some of that gap. InsideTracker. Function Health. SiPhox. Levels. These have made advanced testing more accessible. But they leave you with a PDF, a dashboard, and no one to read the results with you. Knowing your ApoB is 105 is not useful. Knowing what to do about it is.

Our biomarker program is built around two things. First, the most comprehensive panel of advanced testing available to private patients, including the markers used in the research literature, by the Outlive readership, and by the biohacker community. Second, a physician who sits down with you and walks through every result. What it means. What we change. What we measure next.

Every test in our program is selected because the result will change the plan.

Cardiometabolic Panel

Cardiometabolic & Lipid Panel

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Most patients are screened with a basic cholesterol panel. We measure the markers that actually predict risk.

Our cardiometabolic panel goes well beyond standard testing. ApoB measures the actual number of atherogenic particles in your blood, which is a far better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL cholesterol alone. Lipoprotein(a) identifies a genetic risk that runs silently in millions of patients. Fasting insulin reveals metabolic dysfunction years before HbA1c does.

Every marker here tells us something we can act on.

Advanced Lipid Analysis
  • Apolipoprotein B ApoB
  • Lipoprotein(a) Lp(a)
  • LDL particle number LDL-P
  • HDL particle analysis
  • Small dense LDL
  • Standard lipid panel
Metabolic Health
  • Fasting insulin
  • Fasting glucose
  • HbA1c
  • HOMA-IR insulin sensitivity
  • Comprehensive metabolic panel
  • Continuous glucose monitoring
Inflammation & Cardiovascular
  • High-sensitivity CRP hsCRP
  • Homocysteine
  • Oxidized LDL
  • Coronary artery calcium CAC
  • Blood pressure profile
  • Cardiac risk score
Hormone & Methylation

Hormone, Metabolic & Methylation Panel

Hormones shape mood, energy, sleep, body composition, libido, and how you perform. Yet most patients are tested with a TSH alone, if they are tested at all.

We measure the full endocrine picture. Thyroid in detail. Sex hormones with the precision needed for clinical action. DUTCH cortisol patterns across the day instead of a single morning snapshot. And the methylation polymorphisms (MTHFR, COMT) that affect how you detoxify, metabolize hormones, and respond to nutrients.

For women patients, this panel anchors hormonal care during perimenopause and menopause, including hormone replacement therapy planning.

Thyroid Panel
  • TSH
  • Free T4
  • Free T3
  • Reverse T3
  • Thyroid antibodies
  • Iodine
Sex Hormones
  • Total testosterone
  • Free testosterone
  • Estradiol
  • Progesterone
  • DHEA-S
  • SHBG
Adrenal & Cortisol
  • DUTCH cortisol curve
  • Morning and evening cortisol
  • DHEA-S
  • Cortisol awakening response
  • Stress and HPA axis
  • Vitamin D
Methylation & Nutrient Status
  • MTHFR genetic variants
  • COMT polymorphisms
  • B12 and folate
  • Homocysteine
  • Iron and ferritin
  • Micronutrient analysis
Biological Age & Cellular Health

Biological Age & Cellular Health

Your biological age is how old your body is actually functioning. It is one of the most important markers in advanced medicine because it can move in either direction. Faster than your chronological age, or slower.

We use validated epigenetic testing based on DNA methylation patterns, telomere length analysis, and the assays used in current research. Alongside cellular health markers including the omega-3 index, oxidative stress, and the heavy metals burden that quietly accelerates aging in many high-performing adults.

Retesting on schedule lets us see whether your interventions are working at the cellular level.

Biological Age Markers
  • Epigenetic biological age
  • DNA methylation analysis
  • GrimAge and PhenoAge
  • Telomere length
  • Pace of aging
  • Advanced age assays
Cellular Health
  • Inflammation panel
  • Oxidative stress markers
  • Omega-3 index
  • NAD+ levels
  • Mitochondrial indicators
  • Senescence markers
Toxin & Heavy Metals Burden
  • Mercury
  • Lead
  • Arsenic
  • Cadmium
  • Aluminum
  • Comprehensive heavy metals panel
Performance & Optimization

The markers behind your real ceiling.

Biomarkers are not just about risk. They are about output. The same data that tells us about long-term health also tells us about current performance. How much cardiovascular capacity you have to lean on. How well you recover. How well you sleep. How sharp you can be tomorrow morning.

For executives, athletes, parents, and high-functioning adults, this is what makes the difference between getting by and operating at your real ceiling.

We measure the markers used by elite performance programs, with the clinical depth most coaches and quantified-self platforms cannot match.

Cardiovascular Performance
  • VO2max
  • Zone 2 lactate threshold
  • Heart rate variability HRV
  • Blood pressure profile
  • DEXA body composition
  • Grip strength
Sleep & Recovery
  • Sleep architecture analysis
  • HRV trending
  • Recovery markers
  • Wearable data integration
  • Sleep study when indicated
  • Circadian assessment
Cognitive Performance
  • Cognitive testing baseline
  • Sleep quality markers
  • Hormonal optimization for focus
  • B12, omega-3, iron status
  • Stress hormone patterns
  • Methylation and cognition
Pharmacogenomics

Pharmacogenomics

Two patients with the same condition can respond completely differently to the same medication. One feels better. One has no effect. One has serious side effects.

Pharmacogenomics is the science of how your unique genetic makeup affects how you metabolize and respond to medications. With this testing, we can predict in advance which medications are most likely to work for you, which doses are appropriate, and which to avoid.

It is one of the most useful and most under-used tools in modern medicine. We include it as part of our advanced biomarker program.

i.

Antidepressants & Psychiatric Medications

Predict response and metabolism for SSRIs, SNRIs, and other psychiatric medications before prescribing.

ii.

Cardiovascular & Statin Response

Identify your response to statins, blood pressure medications, and anticoagulants in advance.

iii.

Pain & Metabolism

Understand how you metabolize pain medications, anesthetics, and a range of commonly prescribed drugs.

Brain Biomarkers

Brain health and Alzheimer’s biomarkers.

Most patients only think about cognitive decline once it has already begun. By then, biological changes have been quietly underway for ten to twenty years.

Our brain health biomarker panel is built to identify cognitive risk decades before symptoms appear. APOE4 genotyping identifies genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Plasma p-tau and amyloid-beta are blood-based biomarkers that reflect what is happening in the brain itself. NFL and GFAP measure neuronal damage and inflammation.

For patients with family history, complex presentation, or specific clinical concern, we offer expanded genetic markers and additional neurodegenerative panels. This is the data you cannot get anywhere else.

Used alongside our neurology team for the complete picture.

Core Clinical Biomarkers
  • APOE4 genotyping
  • Plasma p-tau tau protein
  • Amyloid-beta
  • Neurofilament light NFL
  • Glial fibrillary acidic protein GFAP
  • Homocysteine and folate
Cognitive & Inflammatory
  • High-sensitivity CRP
  • Vitamin D and B12
  • Omega-3 index
  • Inflammation panel
  • Cognitive testing baseline
  • QEEG brain mapping
Expanded Genetic Markers
  • Amyloid precursor protein
  • PSEN1 and PSEN2 presenilin
  • TREM2
  • C9orf72
  • GRN progranulin
  • MAPT

Expanded genetic markers are offered selectively, based on family history, clinical presentation, and patient request. Not every test is appropriate or indicated for every patient.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about advanced biomarker testing.

Is this practice built for biohackers and the quantified-self community?
Yes. Our advanced biomarker program is built for the data-driven patient. That includes biohackers, quantified-self enthusiasts, performance-focused executives, and high-functioning adults who want the depth that traditional primary care does not offer. We welcome patients who already track their own data and want a physician who can read it with them.
Can you integrate my CGM, Oura, Whoop, or other wearable data?
Yes. We welcome wearable data from Oura Ring, Whoop, Apple Health, Levels CGM, Dexcom CGM, and other quantified-self platforms. Bring your data to your visits. We review the trends alongside your bloodwork, your hormone panels, your sleep patterns, and the rest of your clinical picture. Together they tell a story no single source can.
How is this different from Function Health, InsideTracker, or SiPhox?
Direct-to-consumer testing platforms like Function Health, InsideTracker, and SiPhox have made advanced testing more accessible. What they cannot offer is a physician who reads the data with you. Our program includes a broader panel of clinically validated tests, the option of patient-requested panels, and a board-certified physician who sits down with you to interpret every result, build the plan, and adjust over time. The data is the easy part. The interpretation is everything.
Will you order tests that I specifically request?
Yes, with clinical review. If you have done your research and want a specific test ordered, we discuss it with you, confirm clinical appropriateness, and order it as part of your panel. We may also recommend additional tests you have not considered. The goal is the most complete picture of your biology, ordered with intention.
What is the most comprehensive blood panel available?
The most comprehensive blood panel includes far more than a standard annual lab. It typically includes advanced lipids (ApoB, Lp(a), LDL particle number), metabolic markers (fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, hsCRP), a full hormone panel (thyroid in detail, sex hormones, DUTCH cortisol), methylation genetics (MTHFR, COMT), biological age via epigenetic testing, pharmacogenomics, omega-3 index, heavy metals, and brain health biomarkers (APOE4, p-tau, NFL, GFAP). At Essenza, we build this panel around your goals and history.
What is ApoB and why does it matter more than LDL?
ApoB (apolipoprotein B) measures the actual number of cholesterol-carrying particles in your blood that can deposit in arteries. Research increasingly shows ApoB is a better predictor of cardiovascular risk than LDL cholesterol alone. Two people with the same LDL can have very different ApoB levels and very different real cardiovascular risk. ApoB is one of the most important lipid markers used in advanced medicine.
What is APOE4 and should I get tested?
APOE4 is a gene variant associated with increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Carrying one copy raises risk modestly. Carrying two copies raises it significantly. APOE4 testing is most useful for patients with family history of cognitive decline, those interested in proactive brain health, and patients pursuing the deepest possible biomarker workup. Knowing your status can guide meaningful lifestyle and clinical interventions decades before symptoms appear. Testing should be done with proper counseling and follow-up.
What is pharmacogenomic testing?
Pharmacogenomic testing analyzes your genetic profile to predict how you will metabolize and respond to medications. The same dose of the same medication can have very different effects in different patients based on genetic factors. With this testing, your physician can predict which medications are most likely to work for you, which doses are appropriate, and which to avoid due to side effect risk. It is one of the most useful tools in modern personalized medicine.
Is advanced biomarker testing covered by insurance?
Most advanced biomarker testing is not covered by traditional insurance plans because it falls outside the limited set of tests insurance considers medically necessary. Some markers may be partially covered when ordered for specific clinical indications. We provide transparent pricing for testing and discuss costs openly with you before any testing is ordered. A superbill is available for submission to your insurance plan or health savings account for possible reimbursement.
How do I get started?
Schedule a consultation by phone at 858-267-4872 or through the inquiry form on our website. In that first visit, we discuss your goals, review any existing data you have, and identify the biomarkers most relevant for you. Bring your wearable data, your prior labs, your 23andMe download, anything you have already gathered. From there, we build a personalized testing plan together.
For the Patient Who Already Tracks

If you already track, we want to read your data.

You have spent years tracking your sleep, your HRV, your glucose, your training. You have run direct-to-consumer panels, paid out of pocket to know what insurance would not test for, downloaded your 23andMe and learned to read it.

What you have not had is a physician who treats your data with the respect it deserves.

At Essenza, we welcome it. The Oura data. The Whoop trends. The CGM curves. The Levels reports. The prior bloodwork. The supplement stack. The performance goals. All of it.

We will also order tests you request, with clinical review and judgment. We will run additional panels you have not considered. And we will sit with you to interpret all of it, together.

Data & Devices We Welcome
  • Oura Ring
  • Whoop
  • Apple Health
  • Levels CGM
  • Dexcom CGM
  • Prior bloodwork from any lab
  • 23andMe and Ancestry raw data
  • Patient-requested panels

The data is the easy part. The interpretation is everything. Begin with a conversation.