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Insight: New DNA Reader To Bring Promise

Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Reuters

Professor Hank Greely spoke with Sharon Begly of Reuters on the hidden costs of a new genome-sequencing machine that can provide a look into a person's genetic information.

After years of predictions that the "$1,000 genome" - a read-out of a person's complete genetic information for about the cost of a dental crown - was just around the corner, a U.S. company is announcing Tuesday that it has achieved that milestone and taken the technology several steps ahead.

The new genome-sequencing machine from Ion Torrent, a division of Life Technologies Corp., in Guilford, Connecticut, is 1,000 times more powerful than existing technology, says CEO and chairman Jonathan Rothberg.

...

One problem is that the costs only start with the actual sequencing. "The cost of understanding the sequence will be much, much higher," says bioethicist Hank Greely of Stanford University. He participated in a 2010 project that sequenced the full genome of Stanford bioengineer Stephen Quake. The sequencing cost $48,000.

But because it found 2.6 million DNA misspellings and 752 other genetic glitches, says Greely, "it took a few hundred thousand dollars worth of labor from Ph.D. students and faculty working 4,000 to 5,000 hours to understand what the sequence meant" -- that Quake had a higher-than-average risk of sudden cardiac death, a lower risk of Alzheimer's, and a higher risk of prostate cancer.

...

Although many bioethicists focus on the psychological harm patients might suffer when DNA tests show an elevated risk of cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, and other diseases, genomics information could also threaten patients' physical health if it is misconstrued. A woman whose DNA sequencing shows she does not carry BRCA mutations that raise her risk of breast cancer "might say, great, I don't need mammograms," says Stanford's Greely. "But a negative BRCA test reduces her risk of breast cancer from 12 percent to 11.96 percent. My dread is less that patients will be damaged psychologically and more that they will misunderstand (genome sequence data) and do stupid things."

...

A DNA variant that was once thought to be dangerous "might turn out to be benign if countered by another," says Greely. "Whose responsibility will it be to tell you that, years later?" Today's DNA testing companies offer subscriptions that give customers regular updates like that.

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Overview

The Center for Law and the Biosciences, directed by Professor Hank Greely, examines biotech discoveries in the context of the law, weighing their impact on society and the law's role in shaping that impact. The Center is part of the Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology.

Situated in the locus of the world's biotechnology industry, within a preeminent research university, the Center convenes a forum of academicians, lawyers, scientists, policy makers, and law students. Through conferences, workshops, lectures, and academic courses, the Center promotes research and public discourse on the ethical, legal, scientific, economic, and social implications of accelerated technological change.

For law students, the Center strengthens the already significant advantages of studying at Stanford with a curriculum that combines legal theory with practical applications in biotechnology. Past course offerings have included: "Biotechnology Law and Policy," "Health Law and Policy," "Genetics and Law," and a course on nanotechnology called "Ideas v. Matter: The Law in Tiny Spaces." In addition, the school offers a full complement of courses in legal areas relevant to bioscience, such as intellectual property, constitutional law, corporate law, and administrative law. Many of our courses involve other Stanford departments, and most integrate multidisciplinary materials.

Beyond the classroom, the Center also provides access to a broad spectrum of practitioners, regulators, and academicians throughout the biotech industry, as well as to hands-on involvement in research and collaborative dialogues.

Our students engage in a wide array of extracurricular activities, and can participate in two cutting edge student organizations. "BioLaw," a new student organization devoted to law and the biosciences, works with the Center to sponsor regular seminars and conferences, and to publish "SNPs," a newsletter about developments in law and the biosciences. The "Stanford Law and Technology Association," with a broader emphasis on both information and life science technologies, also holds regular events and publishes the "Stanford Technology Law Review."

Stanford Law School graduates pursue a variety of distinguished careers in the life-sciences field. Our alumni currently hold leadership positions within biotech companies, federal and state agencies, the White House, major corporations, law firms with strong life-science practices, and academia.

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Stanford Law School invites applications for the 2012-2013 Fellowship Program at the Center for Law and the Biosciences.

The Goal:

This fellowship is intended for people who want an academic or policy career working on legal and social issues arising from advances in the biosciences, with a particular emphasis on neuroscience, genetics, or stem cell research. (Six of our former fellows are now teaching at universities in the United States, Asia, and Europe.)

The Center:

The Center for Law and the Biosciences, directed by Professor Hank Greely, examines bioscience discoveries in the context of the law, weighing their impact on society and the law's role in shaping that impact. The Center is part of the Stanford Program in Law, Science & Technology.

Located at the heart of the world's biotechnology industry and inside a preeminent research university, the Center brings together academics, lawyers, scientists, policy-makers, and students. Through conferences, workshops, lectures, and academic courses, the Center promotes research and public discourse on the ethical, legal, scientific, economic, and social implications of accelerated technological change in the life sciences. For more information, visit our website at clb.stanford.edu.

The Fellowship:

The Center for Law and the Biosciences Fellowship is a residential fellowship that provides an opportunity to conduct research in the dynamic environment of Stanford Law School. We prefer two-year fellowships to help the fellow complete a significant body of independent scholarship, but we are willing to consider one-year terms. We expect fellows to dedicate most of their time to pursuing their proposed research projects, while dedicating about one-sixth of their time to organizing and implementing other Center activities, including our annual conference, our monthly speaker series, our biweekly journal club, and our other activities, as well as writing for our blog. Fellows are encouraged to attend weekly faculty lunch seminars and participate in activities with the other fellows at Stanford Law School to learn more about their legal scholarship and academic life. For the 2012-2013 fellowship, we will provide fellows with office space, a competitive stipend, and a generous benefits package. Applicants should have a JD or other doctoral level degree (MD, PhD) in a relevant area. A law degree is a significant advantage, but is not a requirement.

The Application Process:

Applicants should submit a CV, contact information for three references, a writing sample, and a research proposal (in 2000 words or less) to Angela Arroyo (aarroyo@law.stanford.edu) by November 1, 2011 at 5:00 PM PDT and must also apply on-line via the Stanford jobs website at http://jobs.stanford.edu/ (reference job number 44428). We will choose fellows based on demonstrated academic merit and on the intellectual strength of their research proposals. Decisions will be made by December 1, 2011.

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Hank Greely
Deane F. and Kate Edelman Johnson Professor of Law
650 723.2517
Mark A. Lemley
William H. Neukom Professor of Law
650 723.4605

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Matt Lamkin
Stanford Law School Fellow

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Hank Greely
Director
650 723.2517

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Law and Policy of the Developing Brain: Neuroscience from Womb to Death
February 11, 2012 from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
"Science and Religion in the Classroom: The Legacy of Edwards v. Aguilard"
May 11, 2012 from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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  • Stanford Law School to Advance "Neurolaw" as Part of $10 Million Grant
    October 31, 2007
    Related: Hank Greely, Center for Law and the Biosciences

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