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The Secret of Life

By: John EllisWed Dec 19, 2007 at 12:21 AM
The mapping of the human genome, says Craig Venter, will change science, research, medicine, politics, health insurance, and the way biology looks at the last 3 billion years of evolution. And that's just the beginning.

How do you imagine people tapping into this new world of personal genetic information?

We're seeking a pure, tight genetic code, and we're already getting that for several subjects inside Celera. In the future, you would get a DVD with your version of that code on it -- a complete map. Each week, you'd log onto the Celera Web site to get an update on your code and to find out what the latest research means for you. For example, you could look on the site to see the latest research on codes that have an indication for a specific disease or for some trait. Either you have that code, or you don't. If you don't have it, you don't have to worry about it. And if you do have it, then you'll want to know more about what that means. This is the kind of information that changes the outcome of people's lives. By using genetic information intelligently, people can alter their lives for the better.

John Ellis (jellis@fastcompany) is a Fast Company contributing editor. Visit the Celera Genomics Group on the Web (www.celera.com).

From Issue 38 | August 2000

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