GATTACA
It was a good movie. And it's version of the future (minus regular spaceflight) just got a lot closer.
This impressive looking machine is designed to sequence a human genome for $50,000, and cost about $1,000,000. Though those number seem high, they are within the ranges of equipment and testing costs common in hospitals (high for testing costs - but it will not likely be a insurance-covered option for many years, your high-end clients, err patients, will buy their own sequencing to begin with).
Basically, it breaks the DNA strand, attaches DNA strands with certain light reflective markers to certain segments, and then goes through and sequences the whole thing. Damned impressive.
Of course like most things with genetics, it is a whole lot harder than anyone imagined, as genetic expression is much more complex and involving of multiple post-DNA, needs-1,000 supercomputers to calculate protein folding and interaction.
Still, we are getting there.
Genetic sequencing -> genetic manipulation
One of the ways the 21st century will differ so drastically from the past is the expansion of human capabilities available to the very wealthy, and thus expanding the gaps between rich and poor.
This impressive looking machine is designed to sequence a human genome for $50,000, and cost about $1,000,000. Though those number seem high, they are within the ranges of equipment and testing costs common in hospitals (high for testing costs - but it will not likely be a insurance-covered option for many years, your high-end clients, err patients, will buy their own sequencing to begin with).
Basically, it breaks the DNA strand, attaches DNA strands with certain light reflective markers to certain segments, and then goes through and sequences the whole thing. Damned impressive.
Of course like most things with genetics, it is a whole lot harder than anyone imagined, as genetic expression is much more complex and involving of multiple post-DNA, needs-1,000 supercomputers to calculate protein folding and interaction.
Still, we are getting there.
Genetic sequencing -> genetic manipulation
One of the ways the 21st century will differ so drastically from the past is the expansion of human capabilities available to the very wealthy, and thus expanding the gaps between rich and poor.
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