X-Prize to Award $10M for Fast Sequencing

Shipud writes "The X-Prize foundation has announced the $10 million Archon X PRIZE for Genomics — for the first privately financed group to sequence 100 human genomes in 10 days. The motivation is to create an incentive for faster, cheaper genome seqeunceing, heralding the era of preventative personalized medicine. The winner will also receive an extra $1,000,000 for sequencing the genomes of 100 additional people; among them Larry King and Stephen Hawking. Apparently this is the largest medical prize in history."

Rules details

[nyri]

Rules are available in here [xprize.org].

In short:

100 human genomes within 10 days or less with an accuracy of no more than 1 error in 10,000 base pairs, with sequences accurately covering at least 98% of the genome, and at a demonstrated cost of no more than $10,000 per genome.

An intresting detail:

During each X PRIZE competition test, a TEAM must use its device to sequence within 10 days 100 human dip-
loid genomes of 6 Gbp (6 giga base pairs, i.e., six billion pairs of DNA base molecules) each.

Note that Human Genome Project mapped and sequenced only some 3Gbp. And that was considered to be whole genome. Basically X-Price want winner to sequence all 46 cromosomes. This sounds quite difficult as the method have to be sure that is has sequenced both of the cromosomes (from a pair), not just the other one twice. And this must be valid all the 3Gbp. By bet? The working method just sequences emultiple chromosomes and determines the exact basepairs statically.

This is basically a joke...

[JDevers]

any true revolutions at a company or other entity that allows this level of an improvement over current sequencing tech will have so much VC money (or parent company cash) rolling in that $10 million won't even be worth the time for application. Then when the tech is validated and ready for use, they wouldn't have time to cash the check for $10 million while the billions are rolling in.

For those of you in other fields, imagine in the next jet propulsion X prize was $10 million to the first group to come up with a working drive capable of 20% of the speed of light within a day of ignition. Or how about a single computer CPU capable of processing 100 peta flops. Or a system capable of cracking a gallon of water but using only 100 joules of electricity.

Sure, some day these may all be possible, but right now they are pie in the sky at best.

Re:Gattaca!!!

[Teancum]

There are laws against racial discrimination that could, with a good judge that is using his/her head, would also apply in this sort of situation as well in most cases. There certainly are racial characteristics that are mapped in DNA sequences. In fact, when DNA "profiling" is used for matching up parents with kids and in forensic evidence for like a police investigation, they specifically target those DNA sequences which are not related directly to specific racial profiles, but there isn't a law that says this absolutely must be the case.

The point here is that DNA sequencing researchers are very much aware of this issue, and the ethics and laws about this subject are not quite as unknown as you seem to apply. Still, if there were a database of genetic information, it would certainly be considered private medical information and could only be disclosed along similar kinds of laws as well.