If landing on the Moon is the technological and scientific endeavor that could best encapsulate the past century, its equivalent in biology would have to be the sequencing and the release of a reference sequence for the human genome in the early 2000s. This "generic" human genome sequence provides however little information about how people differ genetically and henceforth, about their susceptibility to human diseases. Tackling that issue requires new advances in sequencing technology, that will enable the churning out of huge volumes of sequence data at an astonishing rate and at low cost. Only then will the promise of personalized medicine ("the right medication to the right person at the right time and at the right dosage") become a reality, and for all.
The Archon X Prize for Genomics addresses that very need. It fosters innovation of the most intricate kind, because of the very nature of this "grand challenge" and of the impact on every one of us. It calls for entrepreneurs and scientists, experts in their discipline, to interact and to tackle together the questions at stake. It paves the way towards personalized medicine. Finally, it opens the door to a fully understanding of who we are, henceforth reaching out across society and people. In brief, the Archon X Prize for Genomics raises consciousness about genomics; it also sets the scene for entrepreneurial history makers to open humankind a new era.
We at "cracker" would like to thank the Archon X Prize for their initiative and fostering competition in genomics. We are also pleased to be the first and so far sole Asia-based company to register to the X Prize for Genomics.
