$10m prize for super genetic test

The US-based X-Prize Foundation is offering what it says is the largest medical prize in history - $10m - for the first private team that can decode 100 human genomes in 10 days. Organisers say rapid genetic sequencing is science's next great frontier, and will usher in a new era of personalised medicine, allowing doctors to determine patients' susceptibility to illness and the genetic links to diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers.

View: Full Article | Source: BBC News

Nothing like rushing results of medical information. Ten days seems like a small amount of time.

I say it's an excellent way to motivate scientists away from there current projects and pay attention to an important one such as that.

First of all, this is not about medical information. Second, this is not a waste of time. This is a great way to find ways of sequencing whole genomes MUCH FASTER.

like the old addage

"give every billionaire in the world cancer and youll have a cure in 5 days"

nohting like money to motivate someone

give every billionaire in the world cancer and youll have a cure in 5 days"

nohting like money to motivate someone

Many cancer labs have huge funds, like the one I work in. Finding a cure is not as easy as you think. Finding the reciprocal translocation that causes a type of cancer is also very hard. Many have been found, but none play the dominant role. The Philadelphia Chr is the only translocation known in leukemia. It is the sole cause for CML. The drug Glivec was created, and cured Leukemia in 80% of patients.