The first IVF baby to be screened using a procedure that can read every letter of the human genome has been born in the US.
The birth demonstrates how next-generation sequencing (NGS), which was developed to read whole genomes quickly and cheaply, is poised to transform the selection of embryos in IVF clinics. Though scientists only looked at chromosomes – the structures that hold genes – on this occasion, the falling cost of whole genome sequencing means doctors could soon read all the DNA of IVF embryos before choosing which to implant in the mother.
Read the full article here: IVF baby born using revolutionary genetic-screening process
Additional Resources:
- “First child born following embryo screening with new genome analysis technique,” European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
The successful birth of the world’s first IVF baby, genetically screened with the new technology, was announced at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. - “Prenatal DNA Sequencing,” MIT Technology Review
Verinata, a startup in Redwood City, California, is one of a handful of companies building the technology for prenatal DNA testing. - “Through Dirt-Cheap Genetic Testing, Counsyl Is Pioneering A New Bioinformatics Wave,” TechCrunch
The cost of full genome sequencing, not just the popular and cheap snippet testing, is falling at an astounding rate: from $100 million dollars in 2001 to about $8,000 in 2013.
