Why is DNA sequencing becoming so cheap?
If you are already familiar with the genomics industry this spiel may not be for you. But, if you’re like me, a kind of smart guy who asks a lot of dumb questions, you might be interested to know why genetic testing is so important and why it’s becoming crazy cheap.
So, what is DNA sequencing?
In plain terms, it’s the mapping of DNA/RNA, this technology has become known as Next-Generation Sequencing or NGS for short. We can effectively record and understand the Ikea building manual for every living thing, from your annoying neighbour Bill to the weird fungus growing in on your shower floor. The sample taken from your shower floor is prepped and placed into a very expensive machine that reads the green, red, orange and blue colours that are the nitrogenous bases that compose DNA nucleotides. Sequencing has endless possibilities from invaluable information that aids in the development of treatments for diseases, to understanding which bull and cow combinations will produce the best offspring resulting in better meat yield, the possibilities are endless.
Why is this technology cheaper?
When air travel was conceived, I’m sure it was very expensive and very dodgy with technology not allowing for an economical exchange. DNA sequencing acted quite the same with a human genome costing over $1,000,000 USD to sequence 20 years ago. Compare this to today’s standard of around $1000 USD, this price range stands in stark contrast and refused to follow Moore’s Law. Refer to below.
Another reason for the freefall in price comes down to competition. So many Next-Generation Sequencing providers have entered the market pushing prices to crazy levels in order to remain competitive. In some cases, companies run at a loss in the hope of establishing long term business clients; but in a market where every research dollar counts it’s a tall order to retain such clients. In most cases, researchers have a finite amount of money to conduct the necessary steps to prove their theory. Every dollar saved can be used somewhere else, so a lot of sniffing around occurs when NGS is needed for a project.
What will happen to the price moving forward?
I believe the price of NGS has plateaued, as margins have shrunk to the point where crazy discounts cannot be applied anymore. Only when the companies that make the sequencing machines release a new model that allows for more efficient workflow, only then we will see a shift in the prices for NGS. In the meantime, using services like DNAClick will ensure you are getting the best price for your required sequencing work and at the quality you would expect.
