Google’s Biotech Ambitions

There is an excerpt from writer David Vise’s new book, “The Google Story”, in the weekend WashPost. It contains the following interesting snippet:

…The company is quietly working with maverick biologist Craig Venter and others on groundbreaking genetic and biological research. Google’s immense capacity and turbo-charged search technology, it turns out, appears to be an ideal match for the large amount of data contained in the human genome. Venter and others say that the search engine has the ability to deal with so many variables at once that its use could lead to the discovery of new medicines or cures for diseases. Sergey Brin says searching all of the world’s information includes examining the genetic makeup of our own bodies, and he foresees a day when each of us will be able to learn more about our own predisposition for various illnesses, allergies and other important biological predictors by comparing our personal genetic code with the human genome, a process known as “Googling Your Genes.”

“This is the ultimate intersection of technology and health that will empower millions of individuals,” Venter said. “Helping people understand their own genetic code and statistical code is something that should be broadly available through a service like Google within a decade.”

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