Editing Genetics (section)

=== DNA sequencing and genomics ===
{{Main|DNA sequencing}}
DNA sequencing, one of the most fundamental technologies developed to study genetics, allows researchers to determine the sequence of nucleotides in DNA fragments. The technique of [[Sanger sequencing|chain-termination sequencing]], developed in 1977 by a team led by [[Frederick Sanger]], is still routinely used to sequence DNA fragments. Using this technology, researchers have been able to study the molecular sequences associated with many human diseases.<ref>{{cite book |vauthors=Brown TA |title=Genomes 2 |edition=2nd |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-85996-228-2 |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=genomes.section.6452 |chapter=Section 2, Chapter 6: 6.1. The Methodology for DNA Sequencing |publisher=Bios |location=Oxford}}</ref>

As sequencing has become less expensive, researchers have [[Genome project|sequenced the genomes]] of many organisms using a process called [[genome assembly]], which uses computational tools to stitch together sequences from many different fragments.<ref>Brown (2002), [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=genomes.section.6481 Section 2, Chapter 6: 6.2. Assembly of a Contiguous DNA Sequence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208115742/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=genomes.section.6481 |date=8 February 2007 }}</ref> These technologies were used to sequence the human genome in the Human Genome Project completed in 2003.<ref name=human_genome_project>{{cite web |url=http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml |title=Human Genome Project Information |access-date=15 March 2008 |publisher=Human Genome Project |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315062131/http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml |archive-date=15 March 2008}}</ref> New [[DNA sequencing#New sequencing methods|high-throughput sequencing]] technologies are dramatically lowering the cost of DNA sequencing, with many researchers hoping to bring the cost of resequencing a human genome down to a thousand dollars.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Service RF | title = Gene sequencing. The race for the $1000 genome | journal = Science | volume = 311 | issue = 5767 | pages = 1544–1546 | date = March 2006 | pmid = 16543431 | doi = 10.1126/science.311.5767.1544 | s2cid = 23411598 }}</ref>

[[Next-generation sequencing]] (or high-throughput sequencing) came about due to the ever-increasing demand for low-cost sequencing. These sequencing technologies allow the production of potentially millions of sequences concurrently.<ref name=hall2007>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hall N | title = Advanced sequencing technologies and their wider impact in microbiology | journal = The Journal of Experimental Biology | volume = 210 | issue = Pt 9 | pages = 1518–1525 | date = May 2007 | pmid = 17449817 | doi = 10.1242/jeb.001370 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2007JExpB.210.1518H }}</ref><ref name=church2006>{{cite journal | vauthors = Church GM | title = Genomes for all | journal = Scientific American | volume = 294 | issue = 1 | pages = 46–54 | date = January 2006 | pmid = 16468433 | doi = 10.1038/scientificamerican0106-46 | s2cid = 28769137 | bibcode = 2006SciAm.294a..46C | author-link1 = George M. Church }}{{subscription required}}</ref> The large amount of sequence data available has created the subfield of [[genomics]], research that uses computational tools to search for and analyze patterns in the full genomes of organisms. Genomics can also be considered a subfield of [[bioinformatics]], which uses computational approaches to analyze large sets of [[biological data]]. A common problem to these fields of research is how to manage and share data that deals with human subject and [[personally identifiable information]].{{cn|date=October 2022}}