Technology Discussion—Genes and DNA

The study of genes, as a resource for the commercial development of new drugs, received a significant boost from computer technology in the late 1970s. Frederick Sanger, a chemist, and Walter Gilbert, a biochemist, developed what is known as DNA sequencing technology, receiving a Nobel Prize in 1980 for their effort. In the same way that computer technology enabled the rapid growth of the internet industry, computerization has been the catalyst for the booming biotech industry. For example, Sanger and Gilbert’s computerized DNA sequencing technology enables scientists to collect massive amounts of data on human genes at high speed, analyzing how certain genes are connected with specific diseases. Using this technology, the gene responsible for Parkinson’s disease was mapped in only nine days—a stark contrast to the nine years required to determine the gene connected with cystic fibrosis using traditional methods. Genomics, the mapping and analysis of genes and their uses, is the basic building block of the biopharmaceuticals business. Pharmacogenomics is the study of genomics for the purpose of creating new pharmaceuticals.

Genes are made up of DNA and reside on densely packed fibers called chromosomes. The genetic information encoded in a gene is copied into RNA (ribonucleic acid—closely related to DNA) and then used to assemble proteins. Think of DNA as a blueprint and RNA as the builder.

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Technology Discussion—Genes and DNA, Business and Industry Trends Analysis

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