All that glitters...

The full human genome sequence (via the Human Genome Project) was mapped and published 15 years ago, a 10 year project that cost circa $30bn.1Since then technological advances and cheap computing power have markedly accelerated genomic sequencing at a reduced cost, to under $500. For example, the company Oxford Nanopore has taken sequencing to point-of-care status by developing a hand-held reader that can sequence genetic material in minutes.2The applications will not be just for healthcare but also, for example, to establish the provenance of foodstuffs, the presence of dangerous microbes and crime scene DNA analysis.2