Understanding and making the most of disruptive technologies such as genomics, robotics, the internet of things, and synthetic biology will be a challenge best met by a mix of engineers and designers, says designer Jonathan Follett, principal at Involution Studios. In a podcast with O'Reilly's Jenn Webb today, Follett says that the problems these new technologies present to humanity make it crucial that the two disciplines evolve and work together. More
Tag Index / Showing 41 - 55 of 55 results for “genomics”
Post Ruling, Gene Patents Roll on, as Does the Tech
The Supreme Court’s ruling last month to strike down gene patents is unlikely to have a widespread impact on the genetic field, as is already being made evident by new lawsuits from Myriad Genetics against rival gene testing services. In the long run, it may be technological advances rather than legal maneuvers that end the debate. The case generated quite a buzz at the time, as a large group of molecular pathologists and other plaintiffs charged that they couldn’t properly treat their patients without being able to test genes linked to breast cancer, the most well-known of which were locked up in patents held by Myriad and a few other organizations. More
Are Flash Sales Coming to Consumer Genomics?
Could consumers be persuaded to snatch up DNA sequences as must-have accessories? With former Gilt Groupe President Andy Page in a new leadership role, 23andMe might be able to swing that. The personal genetics company began late last year offering its Personal Genome service for $99 and set a goal to serve 1 million customers in 2013. More
Can Crowdsourcing Succeed in Life Sciences?
It’s no secret that crowdsourcing has been a successful approach in many industries. Even complex and technical topics can be addressed this way; one great example is Foldit, an online game that lets regular people design efficient protein structures. Those designs are submitted to a top protein laboratory, which tests to see whether predicted structures match the real-life structures of specific proteins. In the biomedical community, though, Foldit is an outlier. The concept of pulling in as many minds and resources as possible to solve a problem, though proven to work repeatedly in other industries, has not gained real traction in life sciences. More
Why Scientists Celebrate DNA Day (April 25)
Here’s a holiday you’ve probably never celebrated: April 25 is DNA Day! It honors the publication of the original 1953 paper from James Watson, Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, and others first describing the double-helix structure of DNA. In more recent times, the day has also commemorated the Human Genome Project, declared complete in April 2003. This year, DNA Day marks the 60th anniversary of Watson and Crick’s discovery as well as the Human Genome Project’s 10th anniversary. More
A Cancer Genomics Arms Race Is Underway
Supercomputers and DNA sequencing instruments are the weapons of choice in an "arms race within the war on cancer." Medical centers in New York City alone are reportedly spending more than $1 billion on building, equipping, and staffing new genomic research centers. More
Technology to Unlock Cancer Data for Patients’ Sake
"If you think about the scientific revolutions that have occurred in history, they've been driven by one thing--the availability of data. From Copernicus to quantum mechanics, it's data that drives innovation." So says computational biologist John Quackenbush in an interview in the May edition of Fast Company. And despite all the talk about massive amounts of genomic data being churned out by next-generation sequencing instruments, much of it is not actually available, at least not in the way Quackenbush and a lot of cancer patients want it to be. More
Arts & Culture Bio & Life Sciences
Cancer Genetics Goes Indie: Decoding Annie Parker Premieres
One thing was clear at last night’s New York premiere of Decoding Annie Parker, a movie about a woman with breast cancer: the film is a labor of love made by people who believe the dramatized true story they tell is important. No major studios were involved, and though it has a top-shelf cast (including Helen Hunt, Bradley Whitford, Rashida Jones, and Aaron Paul), the actors agreed to work for a fraction of their usual fees. When Annie Parker opens in select theaters this summer, it will be because a group of writers, donors, and cancer advocates were committed to sharing the lessons of Annie’s story. More
How to Look at Your Genome: Close-Up or Wide-Angle?
There’s growing debate in the biomedical community about the most valuable view of the human genome: a wide panoramic snapshot showing the whole thing, or a zoomed-in image of just where the action is. This is not just an academic discussion: the outcome will have significant implications in how patients are treated for a range of medical conditions. More
Bio & Life Sciences Energy & Green Tech
Better Living Through Bacteria
Chances are, when you hear the word “bacteria,” your mind goes straight to the negative interpretations: nasty infections, food poisoning, tainted water. But the vast majority of bacteria on earth are harmless to humans—and some, if scientists have anything to say about it, could become downright friendly. More
Genomics Pioneer George Church on Competing for the X Prize
When genomics pioneer George Church recently announced that he and his team at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering will vie in a September 2013 competition to rapidly and accurately sequence 100 whole human genomes at a cost of $1,000 or less each, he did not say which technology they would use to do it. That’s because quite possibly it has not yet been invented. More
Why Not Sequence Your Genome?
"Would you have your genome sequenced if you could afford it?" That question is posed in an (unscientific) online survey accompanying the final segment of NPR's "$1,000 Genome" series, which has been taking a look at the promise and perils of genome sequencing. More
23andMe Opens Up to App Developers, But Beware
If you've had your genome sequenced, there will soon be apps for that. Personal genome sequencing company 23andMe this week opened up its application program interface to allow third-party developers to build "a broad range of new applications and tools for the 23andMe community generated from the company’s data sets." More
How “Cloud” Services Democratize DNA Sequencing
DNAnexus is providing genomic storage and analysis tools in the cloud. Techonomy Contributing Editor Adrienne Burke spoke with the company's leadership recently about what their innovative approach to managing this unique brand of big data means to scientific research, personalized medicine, and individuals who’ve had their DNA sequenced. More
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