The greatest benefit will be when we compare everyones DNA, metagenomics, RNA, cells etc... and figure out what is really going on. We currently do not really know. Recent work for trapping cancer cells in blood have shown that even earlier non-metastisized tumors are already throwing off cancer cells. Once we really know what is going on then we can have more effective treatments. Say instead of treating the heart attack of a 65 year old, figuring out how to keep kidney and other functions optimal for the 20-60 year old and beyond so people don't have decaying cardiovascular systems and thus never develop the diseases. Actually effective prevention. Heart and other diseases may be look back upon like we view scurvy.
It seems that Genetic Engineering is progressing even faster than Moore's law. And that's very exciting. Just a month ago I read this:
"Jeffery A. Schloss, a director of the $1,000 genome federal grant program at the National Human Genome Research Institute, said he would be surprised if it could be done much before 2014." [1]
But it seems that we might actually reach the $1000 genome in just a couple years or so.
interesting stuff! I wonder whether this whole "personalized genomics" thing will actually have any significant impact, though. Once you can sequence your genome for $1000, what then? Will we just see slightly fancier healthcare? [healthcare is notorious for being a money-sink with zero marginal return]
Interesting question. I think the most important benefit will happen (and is already happening) in the years leading to the $1000 genome. By the time it becomes available, the declining cost of sequencing would have, hopefully, allowed us to identify the gene variations responsible for most known diseases. And that obviously helps the research for new cures.
The second benefit happens after the $1000 genome becomes available, which is what I think you're asking about. Assuming that we would have linked almost every disease to it's genetic origins by that time (infectious diseases don't apply here), then having the scan will allow people to know, ahead of time, what they need to do to avoid or delay disease, and once they get it, which drugs will work for them and which won't (right now it's done by trial and error).
The great thing about this scan is that you only have to do it once and you're set for life. Unlike blood tests or X-Rays which you keep doing periodically.
skmurphy1 votesThursday, March 27, 2008 at 1:39 PM
With the lower price point, correlations between treatment regimens, outcomes, and genetic factors will be much cheaper to calculate and therefore done more often. Where genes affect choice of treatment or prognosis (which may be some, many, or most situations) this will have a positive impact.
