MMRF Accelerator Magazine Winter 2015 Edition | Page 5

My sister and I were recently featured in an article in the Wall Street Journal on DNA sequencing. Our family took part in a study to have our complete DNA sequenced in the hopes not only of learning more about our diseases and our family’s risk of developing cancer, but to contribute to scientists’ understanding of cancer for future generations. We haven’t received our data yet, but when we do, the first thing we will do is share it. Kathy with her twin sister, Karen Entering a New Era digitization of health information makes My sister and I were recently featured For the first time ever, this kind of it easier than ever for patients to be a in an article in the Wall Street Journal breakthrough science can happen vital part of the process. In fact, studies on DNA sequencing. Our family took rapidly. Why? like CoMMpass are only possible when part in a study to have our complete patients are willing to bank their tissue, DNA sequenced in the hopes not only undergo genomic testing, and share of learning more about our diseases their health and personal data. Sharing and our family’s risk of developing our data — particularly sequencing data, cancer, but to contribute to scientists’ which provides unprecedented insight understanding of cancer for future into the biological underpinnings of generations. We haven’t received our health and disease — not only helps us data yet, but when we do, the first learn about our disease and improve thing we will do is share it. We are at the center of the perfect convergence of massive technological leaps. Genome sequencing, for one, has seen costs plunge from $3 billion to under $3,000, and time collapse from a decade to a few days. Bioinformatics advances now allow us to collaboratively analyze floods of sequencing data — and to do so increasingly in the cloud. And, third, the our treatment options, but contributes to knowledge that is vital to the development of new treatments that extend lives and lead to cures. PRE CISI O N M E D I C I N E 5