Reading Your DNA: What Can It Tell Us?

Explore the groundbreaking advancements in DNA sequencing technology and its profound impact on life sciences, medicine, and society in this Dean's Annual Lecture from Imperial College London. Join Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, as he delves into the fascinating world of DNA reading and interpretation. Discover how a serendipitous collaboration led to the development of a revolutionary rapid, low-cost sequencing approach, now capable of sequencing human and other genomes with over a million-fold improvement in cost and speed compared to 1997. Gain insights into the structure of DNA, the significance of the International Human Genome Project, and the unexpected journey that resulted in the founding of Solexa. Learn about the current capabilities of DNA sequencing technology and its wide-ranging applications. Contemplate the future possibilities and potential implications of this transformative field in this engaging 1-hour and 40-minute lecture.