Sequencing Genomic Diseases in the 21st Century: Predictions for Asia, Africa, and Perspectives for Next-Genera Medicine
The 1990 project helped scientists to understand genetic causes of cancer, and it also spurred the development of at- home DNA tests. Next, researchers started sequencing more genomes: from animals, plants, bacteria, and viruses. Ten years ago, it cost about $10,000 for researchers to sequence a human genome. A few years ago, that fell to $1,000. Today, it’s about $600.
“As we look to the next decade, we believe we’re entering the era of genomic medicine going mainstream. The next generation of scenographers is required to do that. We need price points to keep coming down so we can provide more medicine and tests.
The use of technology and skills gained from the epidemic to track diseases are being applied to Asia and Africa.
From Nipah virus to tuberculosis, every country has its own priorities. Some are driven by disease outbreaks that had decreased or been neglected during the pandemic, says Neelika Malavige, an immunologist who heads the dengue programme at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative and is based in Colombo. Dengue is back with a vengeance this year.
Many people have been trained in how to interpret COVID-19 data, but they don’t know how to apply this to other diseases, says Karlsson. “There’s still a global paucity of trained workforce.”
Researchers are worried that donor and government investment in genomic surveillance will dry up. According to Senjuti Saha, a researcher at the Child Health Research Foundation in Bangladesh, philanthropists typically don’t support long-term surveillance.
Sequencing machines also cost tens of thousands of dollars each year to maintain. And the reagents required are expensive; they can also cost more in regions without established supply chains, says Pronyk, who says solving the distribution gaps will be a priority for Asia PGI.
In some places it can take months to get a repairman to fix a broken machine, according to David Blazes, who leads work on pathogengenomics at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Researchers say that work is needed to develop standardized processes for the analysis of various diseases, and bring the cost of doing so down.