Name: Welcome to the genomic revolution
Uploaded: 2011-09-15T15:32:07Z
Duration: 10 min 45 s
Description: Cheap and fast genome sequencing is about to turn health care (and insurance, and politics) upside down. Richard Resnick shows how, in this accessible talk.

Cheap and fast genome sequencing is about to turn health care (and insurance, and politics) upside down. Richard Resnick shows how, in this accessible talk.

Welcome to the genomic revolution

The ability to rapidly and cheaply sequence entire human genomes has exploded, dropping in price by a hundred million times since the Human Genome Project. This leap now enables doctors to pinpoint deadly mutations and tailor treatments, as seen with rare diseases and cancer. With over 100,000 genomes sequenced yearly and that number set to soar, genome data is driving advances from personalized health to drought-resistant crops. The rise of personal genomics also raises ethical challenges for privacy, insurance, and even politics as DNA data becomes a fixture of daily life.