GoodGame
Red, White, & Blue, baby!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2004
- Messages
- 13,725
According to the Wall Street Journal, Life Technologies is promising $1000 genome sequencing to arrive in a very short amount time (possibly under 1 year's time).
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204124204577151053537379354.html
Alternatively: http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
This $1000/genome goal has been on-going one as multiple generations of gene sequencing devices have been created. I'm surprised to hear science is so close to realizing it, so soon. I'm slightly skeptical that this is a PR announcement to stir interest and investment, and perhaps inaccurate in the time frame, but it is still provocative news.
Beyond the general benefits (e.g. more effective medications, new medications), this may possibly lead to personalized medicine---possibly bypassing medication all together in favor of individualized genome treatments for disease.
So would you pony up $1000 to have your genome sequenced and on file? (possibly to be of more use to you and your offspring at a later date). Presumably this would involve some painless and harmless donation of your tissue (blood collection and epithelial rubbings.
Would you agree to let that information be used by medical researchers? (A reasonable spin-off is that researchers will get more statistically significant sample sizes to pursue various research projects, and might even pay you to be a test subject, as the cost comes down).
Would you seek out individualized genome therapy for a disease you have?
(an inherited genetic disease, or just as a solution to a more common disease with some genetic proclivity such as Diabetes type 2).
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204124204577151053537379354.html
Alternatively: http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
Life Technologies Corp., a Carlsbad, Calif., genomics company, plans to introduce Tuesday a machine it says will be able to map an individual's entire genetic makeup for $1,000 by the end of this year. Moreover, the machine and accompanying microchip technology, both developed by the company's Ion Torrent unit, will deliver the information in a day, the company says.
Scientists say that breaking the $1,000 barrier—roughly the price of an MRI test—will accelerate an already fast-moving transformation in genetic discovery and drug development.
This $1000/genome goal has been on-going one as multiple generations of gene sequencing devices have been created. I'm surprised to hear science is so close to realizing it, so soon. I'm slightly skeptical that this is a PR announcement to stir interest and investment, and perhaps inaccurate in the time frame, but it is still provocative news.
Beyond the general benefits (e.g. more effective medications, new medications), this may possibly lead to personalized medicine---possibly bypassing medication all together in favor of individualized genome treatments for disease.
So would you pony up $1000 to have your genome sequenced and on file? (possibly to be of more use to you and your offspring at a later date). Presumably this would involve some painless and harmless donation of your tissue (blood collection and epithelial rubbings.
Would you agree to let that information be used by medical researchers? (A reasonable spin-off is that researchers will get more statistically significant sample sizes to pursue various research projects, and might even pay you to be a test subject, as the cost comes down).
Would you seek out individualized genome therapy for a disease you have?
(an inherited genetic disease, or just as a solution to a more common disease with some genetic proclivity such as Diabetes type 2).