The Genomic Revolution
The Genomics Revolution is the convergence of big data + sequencing tech + digital-health devices + A.I.
The Genomic Revolution

The Genomic Revolution is the convergence of big data + sequencing tech + digital-health devices + A.I. The revolution is just in time to fight pandemics, help plants, animals, humans, the planet — adapt and survive climate change. 

We’re the first species on Earth to read our DNA script, and the Genome Story of our species is made possible with your participation. No longer observers in scientific discovery that transforms our world; we’re partners and valued participants this time.

Have you used a DNA test kit? If you say yes, then you’ve joined the Genomic Revolution. You’re in good company with over 26 million Genome Explorers like you in the United States, who have their DNA data. Consider your results a rough sketch, though. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) tests read less than 1% of your DNA.

Really? Less than one percent? That’s right. Meg Hager, a genetic counselor for Mayo Clinic, uses this analogy; “If you lost your keys, you would start by looking in the three places you usually leave them. But if you don’t find them in any of those spots, you’ll look through the whole house. Meanwhile, DTC companies, such as 23andMe, stop their search after those three places.”

The next step in the Genomic Revolution will do something radical — sequence all of your DNA and the regions in between — your whole genome. What will the vast, unknown regions tell us about a healthy life, enhanced abilities, and longevity? What will you do with all of your DNA in a Big Data set? How to protect it? Safely share it? To save a life, maybe your own?

It’s the era of our genome. The entrepreneurs at Veritas, describe the next step in the Genomic Revolution as the Era of the Social Genome:

The era of our genome is the ubiquitous integration of your personal genomic information into key aspects of everyday life — healthcare, nutrition, and exercise; social interactions; finances; and business — coupled with the increased application of genetic engineering and synthetic biology.
— Rodrigo Martinez, former Chief  Marketing & Design Officer at Veritas

Veritas anticipated the turning point “will be the convergence of a WGS service in the $100-$200 range and consumer adoption reaching 1 million.” The prediction made in 2019 has almost come true in 2021. Read the full article for more about the “scope and pace” of the Genomic Revolution and how people at Veritas imagine the era unfolding.

What could the future hold for genome engineering? Watch the 90-second video (below) for inspiration from a geneticist and genome engineer. It’s my conversation with Dr. Shondra Pruett-Miller, one of the invited speakers for the Genome Writers Guild (GWG) 2021 Conference.

The possibilities are endless. Diagnostics and therapeutics. Hornless dairy cows. Drought resent crops. We’re talking about the whole world. Not just affecting people with a disease or helping people understand basic biological questions. The possibilities really are endless.
— Dr. Shondra Pruett-Miller

Kit Leffler at the Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, produced the video. Kit is also a member of the Genome Writers Guild (GWG). I’m a member and provide design and graphics for our meetings and website.

The GWG is a genome engineering society building a better future for humanity through genome engineering and public education. Check out the GWG events underway for 2022.

The image at the top is an iconic-style illustration of the minuscule nano-scale space of the nucleus where our chromosomal DNA resides. The four chemicals that make up the base pairs on DNA are circling the image; adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).