Some data on genomics

The Economist issue of June 19th has a special report on genomics. I draw from it two graphs:

Source: The Economist

I quote:

The genome sequenced by the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium (actually a composite from several individuals) took 13 years and cost $3 billion. Now, using the latest sequencers from Illumina, of San Diego, California, a human genome can be read in eight days at a cost of about $10,000. Nor is that the end of the story. Another Californian firm, Pacific Biosciences, of Menlo Park, has a technology that can read genomes from single DNA molecules. It thinks that in three years’ time this will be able to map a human genome in 15 minutes for less than $1,000. And a rival technology being developed in Britain by Oxford Nanopore Technologies aspires to similar speeds and cost.

Source: The Economist

The development of technology to study genomes has progressed very rapidly and as it has done so the number of teams studying genomics has increased significantly. In coming years it seems clear that our understanding of evolution and genetics will be completely transformed. From that research and transformation will undoubtedly evolve an important new technology.