Venter starts company to boost longevity

• Attempt to build largest human sequencing company
• They will sequence the genome, the microbiome, and get information on blood metabolites and lipids
• They will get info from children to centenarians

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-04/venter-starts-dna-scanning-company-to-boost-longevity.html

Genomic diversity in Mexican population

• Spectrum: some populations share more genotypes with Europeans and others with the native populations

Reference from 23andme blog
http://blog.23andme.com/news/new-study-argues-for-construction-of-mexican-medical-genetic-reference-database/

Original publication
http://www.pnas.org/content/106/21/8611.full.pdf

Google is developing contact lenses that measure glucose levels of diabetics

• Tears are used to measure glucose levels
• Contact lense contains miniature glucose sensor
• Still working on prototypes
• Google claims to be working with FDA to bring product to market

http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/google-shows-off-smart-contact-lens-that-lets-diabetics-measure-their-glucose-levels/

New release in the $1000 genome race

• Illumina delivered the HiSeqXTen , with $10 million cost
• 3 already been bought, Broad Institute got one
• $1000 takes into account cost of chemicals, investment for equipment, but not labor costs

http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/01/14/the-1000-genome-arrives-for-real-this-time/

Publicity for 23andme: The case of the insemination switch in Utah

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/10/23andme-test-reveals-disturbing-artificial-insemination-switch/

• Former clinic receptionist confirmed father of baby conceived with help of the clinic
• Free genetic testing for all clients from late 1980s to early 1990s

23andme gets patent for designer babies

http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v32/n1/full/nbt0114-8.html?WT.ec_id=NBT-201401

• They already hold a patent on Parkinson. Have to read what this is about.

23andme API

https://api.23andme.com/

• You can register for free as a developer
• They facilitate you app templates through github so you can create new apps very easily https://github.com/23andMe
• If the app scales, then you'll have to pay something to 23andme 
• A way to encourage science from the public
• Unclear to me IP issues

23andme stops health analysis while it fights with FDA

23andMe Scraps Health Analysis While It Fights With the FDA
http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-06/23andme-scraps-health-analysis-while-it-fights-with-the-fda

During an 'omics' event in the Broad, I had the opportunity to talk to two technicians who work at a local genetic testing lab. I asked them about the 23andme news, and they told me this:

• Their lab runs genetic testing that is requested by a physician, and they always have experts interpret the results for the patients.
• 23andme has a pipeline for automatic annotation of SNPs for their health analysis. Supposedly they don't have any manual curation from experts at any point plus they take all papers from literature indiscriminately.