In a surprising move, Knome, a Boston-area startup, is offering whole-genome sequencing to individuals.
This is big, because Knome’s mapping of your genome is the full deal, not the rough draft offered by competitors such as 23andMe. (Full details here.) For the moment, a lot of this is gee-whiz stuff, and maybe even a status symbol of sorts, since Knome can only handle 20 individuals who are willing and able to cough up $350,000 for the privilege. Practical uses will emerge over time, although for starters, anyone who’s been scanned will never need to take a genetic test again.
Eventually, however, a better understanding of your personal genomics might help you find out what diseases you’re predisposed to, what your family tree really looks like, which behaviors and even jobs play to your strong suit, and even who you might want to consider as a potential mate. We look at the science, the business and the repercussions of the launch at VentureBeat Life Sciences.
