Falling Prices Raise Hopes for Medical Advances in Gene Sequencing

    According to an article published in the New York Times on March 7, 2012, Silicon Valley, for many years, has been a forerunner in computer technology. Now, a life changing advancement in human gene sequencing has taken place. Bill Banyai, who is employed by Complete Genomics as an optical physicist, has helped develop a gene sequencing machine. These machines can map the three billion base pairs that comprise the human genome.  His computer background helped design a factory that produces these gene sequencing machines at a greatly reduced cost.

    Inexpensive gene sequencing will change personalized medicine greatly for the world. This includes treatments for serious diseases, such as cancers. These advancements are going to open up the semiconductor industry much like the PC and the SmartPhone did for consumer devices. The increase in transistor density and processing power go hand in hand with the costs decreasing rapidly.

     Complete Genomics is one of over 36 companies that are aggressively competing to reduce the cost of sequencing an entire human genome below $1,000. Their goal is to make the cost of gene sequencing as low as the cost of a blood test. The impact on the medical community for these costs to be so low will be profound.