3 ms·
At some point DNA sequencing will be cheap and sensitive enough that consumers will be able to do it whenever they feel sick, and measure even tiny fragments. I
by lacker 4y ago
At some point DNA sequencing will be cheap and sensitive enough that consumers will be able to do it whenever they feel sick, and measure even tiny fragments. Instead of swabbing your nose for a Covid test, you could be swabbing your nose for an "everything" test. You have your DNA on file and then anything out of the ordinary is brought to your attention. Maybe some warning signs of cancer like this, maybe just identifying the precise mild cold you caught a couple days ago.
- hoten 4y agoIs sequencing a binary thing, or would there be reason to continuously do a swab for purposes of DNA analysis (or, as often as the technology advances). In other words, is this a one-and -done thing?
- cjbgkagh 4y agoYou’re not looking for your DNA, you’re looking for the DNA/RNA of viruses that shouldn’t be there. Checking sequences against a list of known pathogens.
- ekianjo 4y agonot every pathogen sheds dna strands throughout your whole body. its a lot more tricky than what you seem to suggest.
- cjbgkagh 4y agoWouldn’t it work for anything that a PCR test could be used for. Seems like a there could a useful subset.
- abbirdboy 4y agoThis already partially exists: https://kariusdx.com/ https://kariusdx.com/ We use this in the clinical setting when our standard PCR tests, cultures and serologies come back negative. This test is better for when we have exhausted more specific tests. Having such a broad sequencing of dna in the blood is not clinically useful because you may not be sick but be positive for quite a lot of things. Blood isn’t sterile. What would we do about it? Unclear, probably nothing, unless we have associated clinical findings/symptoms that correlate. Also a very expensive test.