Introducing genomic sequencing

Genomic sequencing is the process of decoding the information stored in DNA. As the name suggests, the process attempts to align the sequence of base pairs comprising T, C, G, and A. The combination of these chemicals within the DNA defines the way the cells function at a molecular level. Sequencing the human genome allows us to compare it against a reference, which in turn helps us find mutations and variants in an individual. This is the key to finding how certain diseases affect an individual. It also helps design drugs and therapies that specifically target the mutations of concern. Sequencing the genome of a virus can help us understand it better and develop vaccines that target certain mutations that may be a cause of concern. A recent example of this is the genomic sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which helped us determine multiple mutations and in turn develop modifications to vaccines as the virus evolved.

Over the years, the technology...