Harnessing the Power of Next-Generation DNA Sequen...

Over just a few years, next-generation sequencing platforms have reduced the cost of DNA sequencing by several orders of magnitude. With these lower costs, DNA sequence is increasingly powerful as a single data format onto which a broad range of biological phenomena can be projected for high-throughput molecular profiling. Although significant challenges remain, translating these powerful technologies into useful laboratory tests has great potential. Jay Shendure, from the University of Washington’s Department of Genome Sciences, discusses how next-generation sequencing platforms work. Shendure considers straightforward and unanticipated ways in which these platforms might be applied in laboratory medicine, and what challenges remain to making their translation successful. From the Series:Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds