Less costly DNA sequencing

As it stands today DNA sequencing is a fairly costly procedure. The cost right now stands at about one million dollars for an individual to have his own genome mapped out. The National Institutes of Health has set a goal to bring the cost of DNA sequencing down to one thousand dollars by the year 2014. One possible contributor to lowering the cost is a new sequencing method known as nanopore sequencing. This method of sequencing moves the DNA through a tiny hole, much like thread going through a needle. The technique can detect individual DNA molecules, but the DNA passes through so quickly it’s impossible to determine the sequence. More details are available at the journal Physical Review Letters.