Sequencing, not random probes, are future of microbiological diagnostics
Okay, I'll admit I take requests. Throw a topic at me by Twitter or email, and if it piques my interest and I feel like I can say something intelligent, then I'll take it on -- but not necessarily instantly. That's the genesis of today's item, a tweet from Kyle Serikawa directed at me, asking if anew paper from groups at Rice and Baylor College of Medicine in Science Advances on a proposed microbial diagnostics (a paper highlighted by Eric Topol) had any legs.Huh. Well, intellectually clever, but isn't#Nanopore already leading the way in direct ID?@OmicsOmicsBlog, have any thoughts?#pathogenshttp...
Source: Omics! Omics! - October 16, 2016 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Keith Robison Source Type: blogs
DNA: How Clean is Clean Enough?
Nick Loman has a new blog post nicely covering the current state of affairs for DNA preparation in the field. Earlier this year I hadsome thoughts about DNA preparation and the degree to which our current methods reflect history rather than some ideal. Even before Nick's post I had some new thoughts on the topic, but seeing his exposition helped me consolidate my own musings.Read more » (Source: Omics! Omics!)
Source: Omics! Omics! - October 12, 2016 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Keith Robison Source Type: blogs
Bill Gates Succumbs to Moonshot Madness
Another day, another misguided call for a moonshot in human disease. This time, it's Bill Gateslaying out four goals that he believes can be attained in the next decade, given the correct amount of dedication and determination. Among these goals are a vaccine for HIV and a cure for neurodegenerative diseases. I'll focus my comments on the neurodegenerative diseases with a few comments about fellow Blue Hen Joe Biden's cancer moonshot, but many of the criticisms apply to the HIV or just about any serious disease.Read more » (Source: Omics! Omics!)
Source: Omics! Omics! - October 5, 2016 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Keith Robison Source Type: blogs
ONT's Wafer Thin Update
Oxford Nanopore's Clive Brown gave an hour-long update on their platform last week. A busy social schedule featuring (on different nights) GMO beer and challah - plus six hours travel each way to the challah-fest. Add atop that a fast-moving upper respiratory tract infection, and I'm even more behind in blogging than usual for such events (plus I gathered another post idea away -- and had another suggested to me). Time to get working on the backlog!Read more » (Source: Omics! Omics!)
Source: Omics! Omics! - October 4, 2016 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Keith Robison Source Type: blogs
Directed Panspermia Doesn't Belong In Schools (and Probably Never Will)
Opening to the Ideas section of the Boston Globe this past Sunday, I was immediately faced with a grotesque site. Nothing to do with the appalling terrorism of fifteen years ago, but instead the Globe putting front-and-center in the section a truly awful idea,which the subhead trumpeted"Creationism can have a basis in science - if aliens are involved".Read more » (Source: Omics! Omics!)
Source: Omics! Omics! - September 12, 2016 Category: Bioinformatics Authors: Keith Robison Source Type: blogs
