Researchers have begun to sequence the genomes of individuals for the first time thanks to advances in DNA sequencing. The fact that people have their own personal genome will soon change what we know about ourselves and the practice of medicine.
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ALL SPECIAL REPORTS
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 - Sequencing in a Flash
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A new generation of DNA-sequencing machines is opening up whole new areas of genomic research. Already, researchers are unraveling how modern humans differ from Neanderthals and devising more precise tests for cancer.
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Executives from 454 Life Sciences showed 78-year-old James Watson a first draft of his own genome. The company and its so-called next-generation sequencing machine had single-handedly read the genetic code of an individual--one whose work had done so much to make the achievement possible. Read More
- Choosing Babies
- A growing number of genetic tests can be performed during in vitro fertilization, before pregnancy even begins. Is that a good thing?
- Eating According to Your Genome
- The emerging field of nutrigenomics is starting to yield some DNA-based diet tips, says nutrition scientist Jose Ordovas.
- Still Waiting for Personalized Medicine
- Pharmacogenomics promises to let doctors choose drugs and dosages based on tests of your genetic profile. But just try taking a test.
- Rewriting the Genome
- Sequencing and synthesizing DNA keeps getting faster and cheaper. George Church explains the impacts of these advances.
- The X Prize's New Frontier: Genomics
- The $10-million prize could spur the advent of cheaper, faster DNA sequencing and personalized medicine.
- Genome Study Targets African Americans
- Howard University researchers are looking for genetic clues about the high incidence of some diseases among black Americans.
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 - Genomes for the Masses
- The proliferation and plummeting cost of DNA sequencing heralds the year of the personal genome.
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- The Glimmering Promise of Gene Therapy
- Its history is marred by failures, false hopes, and even death, but for a number of the most horrendous human diseases, gene therapy still holds the promise of a cure. Now, for the first time, there is reason to believe that it is actually working.
- The Genetics of Depression
- Ongoing, large-scale genetic studies of mood disorders could help researchers understand and treat these devastating diseases.
- The Personal Genome Project
- What would happen if genetic and medical records were freely available to anyone who wanted them?
- How Neandertal DNA Will Shed Light on Human Genes
- Michael Egholm of 454 Life Sciences talks about his company's ambitious project to sequence the Neandertal genome.
- Speed-Reading the Genome
- New techniques that can draw DNA through nanopores might lead to faster and cheaper sequencing.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology