genomeboy.com

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Terry, brought slides of her own intestinal tissue into her AP science class and correctly diagnosed herself with Crohn’s disease.

“It’s weird I had to solve my own medical problem,” Terry told CNN affiliate KOMO. “There were just no answers anywhere … I was always sick.”

“Weird” indeed.

UPDATE:

“Play without fear and you will be successful!”

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

- William Shakespeare (1599); Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3

(top image via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; bottom image via Sidowsky’s Dwelling)

More from the Consumer Genetics Conference:

Francis Collins revealed that he has had genome scans from 23andMe, Navigenics and deCODEme. He likes the websites and says the genotyping is accurate. He notes that substantial differences in interpretation exist, in part because of different sets of SNPs that are tested by different companies. But, he notes, even with the same markers, interpretations sometimes vary. “Companies need to get together on this.” Family history is not factored in by companies, interventions are recommended by them, but the evidence is often weak, as is the likelihood of change in health behaviors. “We need to know more about what people do with the information.”

Wow:

Today at the Consumer Genetics Show, Illumina CEO Jay Flatley announced the company will start offering whole-genome sequencing at 30x coverage for $48,000 (Personal Genomics Network, “PGNet”). Individuals contact the company via web/phone, meet with their doctors, ask questions, read and sign a consent form, and provide a sample. There will be a 7-day cooling off period. At the end of the process, the data are delivered to the doctor. There will also be a mechanism for people to put their genomes in the public domain if they want. “We think it’s time for this process to begin.”

There are four people going through it right now: Jay Flatley, Hermann Hauser, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Henry Louis Gates, Sr.

Data analysis partners: 23andMe, Knome, decodeme, Navigenics.

UPDATED: Data will fit on an iPhone-type device and the customer will have continuous mobile access to it. For the time being, customers will receive their data on iMacs. (thanks Matt!)

Wow.

And finally, you are like a man possessed out there. You play with so much energy. Tell me honestly, how many Red Bulls do you drink before each game?

My limit is always one. Just one can. It doesn’t change whether it is the final or the semi-final. I don’t change my limit. I don’t drink coffee, just one Red Bull. Not only that, I spread [that one can] over the three periods taking only a few sips during intermissions.