New technique could dramatically lower costs of DNA sequencing

Using **computer simulations**, researchers at the University of Illinois have demonstrated a strategy for **sequencing DNA** by driving the molecule back and forth through a nanopore capacitor in a semiconductor chip. The technique could lead to a device that would read human genomes quickly and affordably. Being able to sequence a human genome for $1,000 or less (which is the price most insurance companies are willing to pay) could open a new era in personal medicine, making it possible to precisely diagnose the cause of many diseases and tailor drugs and treatment procedures to the genetic make-up of an individual. "EurekAlert":[ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/uoia-ntc121207.php]

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