IBM is moving into the third-generation sequencing arena. The company is developing a new sequencing technology based on tiny nanopores - a field already being explored by the understated British nobility of sequencing, Oxford Nanopore. This is all over the news, but Dan Vorhaus has an introduction and is promising to follow up on further developments. You can also watch a pretty but largely content-free animation of the process.
Speaking of Dan Vorhaus: the superb blog Genomics Law Report has just launched a new series, What ELSI is New, consisting of brief guest posts from a diverse range of authors on emerging ethical, legal and social issues in genomics. Already there have been two instalments posted, one from Hank Greely and another from Misha Angrist - both well worth a read. I have also committed to writing my own contribution (it's on its way, Dan!).
Finally, a new program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center will push medical students trainee pathologists towards a better understanding of new genetic tests:
Doctors in their second and final years of pathology residency training will take the class - attending lectures and researching the science behind the tests. If they choose, they can look at their own test results, submitting a sample to the genetic testing company Navigenics.
Given that 23andMe now dominates the genome scan market (meaning it will be the company most prospective patients will be using), and that the company plans to offer discounted tests to doctors, Navigenics seems like a strange choice.
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Comments
Just a point of clarification re: the program at Beth Israel Deaconess...its focus is on residents in the pathology program (i.e., post-M.D.) rather than on medical students. Should be interesting to see how it goes!
Posted by: Matt Mealiffe | October 6, 2009 9:54 AM