The Chills and Thrills of Whole Genome Sequencing
Abstract
In recent years, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) evolved from a futuristic-sounding research project to an increasingly affordable technology for determining complete genome sequences of complex organisms, including humans. This prompts a wide range of revolutionary applications, as WGS promises to improve modern healthcare and provide a better understanding of the human genome -- in particular, its relation to diseases and response to treatments. However, this progress raises worrisome privacy and ethical issues, since, besides uniquely identifying its owner, the genome contains a treasure trove of highly personal and sensitive information. In this article, after summarizing recent advances in genomics, we discuss some important privacy issues associated with human genomic information and identify a number of particularly relevant research challenges.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1306.1264,
title = {The Chills and Thrills of Whole Genome Sequencing},
author = {Erman Ayday and Emiliano De Cristofaro and Jean-Pierre Hubaux and Gene Tsudik},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1306.1264},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
A slightly different version of this article appears in IEEE Computer Magazine, Vol. 48, No. 2, February 2015, under the title "Whole Genome Sequencing: Revolutionary Medicine or Privacy Nightmare"