Top 10 science stories of 2008 -- #4: faster DNA processing

December 27, 5:28 PMScience News ExaminerMeg Marquardt

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Credit: Michigan Technology and Research Institue.

In celebration of the approaching New Year, I present a list of the top ten science stories of 2008.  Taken from the vast expanse of all fields of science, they may not be everyone's top ten, but they are among the top news makers and will have repercussions well past the ending days of 2008.

Earlier in the list there was the entry on GINA, the new law that prohibits companies and insurance companies from discriminating based on genetics.  While the legislation is all well and good, the general assumption is that the impact factor of the law will be low.  After all, how many people can possibly be able to afford full genetic screens?

Before this year, the answer would have been not a whole heck of a lot.  However, there have been large jumps forward in the speed and affordability for screening.  While having your entire genome decoded will still cost a pretty penny (this April, James Watson, a pioneer of DNA, had the whole of his DNA mapped for about $1 million and in about two months), basic screens are becoming far more reasonably priced.  For those looking to pinpoint common mutations in genetics (like the ones that may cause disease like Huntington's), there are companies out there that offer their services for as low as $399.  

This new found speed and affordability is a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, knowing one's genetics is a great way to take preventative measures to stem off certain diseases.  However, the results of screenings don't necessarily tell the full story, which may influence people to make ill-advised decisions about their health.  As Kathleen McGowan, writer for Discover magazine, detailed, "Someone who has an elevated risk of breast cancer, for example, might take a drastic step like getting a mastectomy, not realizing that the test predicts increased risk, not a particular outcome."  In other words, just because your genes sow that you may one day develop a disease, there is no guarantee such a complication is inevitable.  There is also some concern about accuracy and patient safety of the companies offering the services, meaning regular availability of these tests may be some way off in the future.

But the combination of more accessible genetic screens and the protection offered by the GINA law will allow more people to be screened, helping not only to predict and prevent some diseases, but also to better educate society on just how your genetics are related to your health.

Check out the rest of the list here.