DNA Data Cheaper Every Day

What’s the Latest Development?

Among the news at the Biology of Genomes meeting is that the cost of getting DNA data is dropping faster than the cost of processing data on computers, writes Matthew Herper. “The potential to change not just medicine but other industries is huge…there were literally hundreds of genomes or exomes (that’s just the genes, which are small fraction of DNA) presented.”

What’s the Big Idea?

Herper says that one of the most exciting talks was on a new computer program that can automate finding disease genes. “What’s amazing, though, is how you can finally see, after years of effort, that DNA sequencing technology is starting to make its way into medicine.”